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Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => NGIS (Formerly Orbital ATK) - Antares/Cygnus Section => Topic started by: Comga on 11/20/2014 08:20 pm

Title: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Comga on 11/20/2014 08:20 pm
Another Pegasus
Launch contract is ~$56.3 M.November 20, 2014
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Ionospheric Connection Explorer
NASA has selected Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Virginia, to provide launch services for the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission.
 
ICON is targeted to launch in June 2017 from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands aboard a Pegasus XL launch vehicle from Orbital's "Stargazer" L-1011 aircraft.
 
The total cost for NASA to launch ICON under this new firm-fixed price launch services task order is approximately $56.3 million. This includes spacecraft processing, payload integration, tracking, data and telemetry and other launch support requirements.
 
ICON will study the interface between the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere and space in response to a recent scientific discovery that the ionosphere, positioned at the edge of space where the sun ionizes the air to create charged particles, is significantly influenced by storms in the lower atmosphere. ICON also will help NASA better understand how atmospheric winds control ionospheric variability.
 
NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is responsible for management and oversight of the Pegasus XL launch services. The ICON mission is led by the University of California, Berkeley, with oversight by the Explorers Program at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

edit/gongora: Current launch date showing as October 2018
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/20/2014 11:13 pm
Glorious news as we really don't want to see Pegasus go away! I want to do an article on this, but they've not really provided much info there. Will have a think, but we're covered with this thread at least.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: pericynthion on 11/21/2014 11:09 am
Hooray! Every time I land at Mojave I see the L-1011 and wish it would fly again.  Yeah, it's kind of expensive, but it's such a neat system.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Kim Keller on 11/21/2014 01:25 pm
Here's hoping I have another trip to Kwaj in my future!
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: starchasercowboy on 11/21/2014 10:24 pm
We flew Stargazer for 45 minutes on Novenber 19th.  Crew had only one squawk.  Last flying L1011 in the world and still flying great.  Got 2 missions on the books to last us to 2017 and we hope Pegasus will take us into the 2020's. 8)
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Comga on 11/21/2014 10:33 pm
We flew Stargazer for 45 minutes on Novenber 19th.  Crew had only one squawk.  Last flying L1011 in the world and still flying great.  Got 2 missions on the books to last us to 2017 and we hope Pegasus will take us into the 2020's. 8)
Welcome to the forum.
The pictures make for a great first post.
It is lovely to see that old machine flying.  Always liked the lines on the L-1011.
Which Pegasus is being carried in the photos?
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: kevin-rf on 11/22/2014 12:35 am
Last flying L1011 in the world and still flying great. 
I was going to ask....
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: starchasercowboy on 11/22/2014 09:53 pm
The first photo was Stargazer landing in Kona, Hi with IBEX 2008 onboard Pegasus XL. One night stop over for crew rest and then on to Kwaj.  Second photo was landing in Kwaj with IBEX. We only launch the Pegasus XL version now. 
Chris
What kind of article do you want to do? Stargazer, Pegasus or both? Orbital has been very open to media when it comes to  this launch system.  I can put you in touch with somebody.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Zed_Noir on 11/23/2014 05:57 am
@starchasercowboy

Is the Stargazer L-1011's engines meeting upcoming noise restrictions? If not, can the L-1011 be refitted with new engines?

Hope to see the Stargazer fly more launch missions.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: pericynthion on 11/23/2014 06:03 am
I would hope the regulators are sensible enough that those noise restrictions don't apply to MHV, VBG and PKWA - I'm sure the neighbors don't care - but I guess it's never safe to assume that's the case...
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: llanitedave on 11/23/2014 03:59 pm
@starchasercowboy

Is the Stargazer L-1011's engines meeting upcoming noise restrictions? If not, can the L-1011 be refitted with new engines?

Hope to see the Stargazer fly more launch missions.

From here: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_L-1011_TriStar)

Quote
The design featured a twin-aisle interior with a maximum of 400 passengers, a three-engine layout, low noise emissions (in the early 1970s, Eastern Air Lines nicknamed the L-1011 "WhisperLiner")

I know noise tolerances are lower than they used to be, but I don't think there's going to be a problem in the context of use here.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: kevin-rf on 11/23/2014 07:02 pm
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Zed_Noir on 11/23/2014 07:25 pm
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: kevin-rf on 11/23/2014 10:57 pm
Uummm... as the B-52 proved, it does not have t be carried on the center line.  The under construction Straolauncher also comes to mind. I think White Knight 2 lacks the necessary lift, Space Ship 2 is half the weight.

There are options, but I don't see them being needed. They chose the airframe because it was cheap and has a beam along the center of the fuselege that the DC-10 lacks.  For Pegasus, the airframe has plenty of life left in it. They are storing it in a desert. A place that has a fair number of noisy military aircraft flying in and out.

I think the worry about noise compliance is a red herring. It definitely is not a valid reason to spend a large sum of money on an aircraft that flies fewer times in a year than it did over a week while in commercial service. I mean jeeze, Travolta still goes bouncing around in that retired Qantas 707 he has. (Though, to be fair, it does have hush kits on the engines)
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: starchasercowboy on 11/24/2014 09:32 pm
We upgraded the engines from RB211-22b to RB211-524B4, 42k to 50k thrust per engine back in 2009. Stargazer is a real hotrod now. She got a new paint job in 2013. This aircraft is babied all the time and should last a while. The management at Orbital has a lot of fondness for this launch system and as long as we keep getting satellites to put up, the airplane will be ready.
We usually fly to military bases when we launch Pegasus, so noise is not a factor.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: llanitedave on 11/25/2014 02:15 am
I flew on an L-1011 once, back in 1974.  I thought I had really hit the big time!

Purty plane, it was.  And this one still is.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Kim Keller on 11/26/2014 06:59 pm
I flew on an L-1011 once, back in 1974.  I thought I had really hit the big time!

Purty plane, it was.  And this one still is.

Purty, yes. Big time? Well, I flew across the pond a few times on L1011's with 2-5-2 seating. Since I was a lowly contractor (flying to TAL sites for shuttle support), my seat was usually in the middle of the 5-seat group, at the rear of the cabin, directly under that center engine - for six hours or more. I never felt like I had hit the big time!
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: edkyle99 on 11/26/2014 08:29 pm
I flew on an L-1011 once, back in 1974.  I thought I had really hit the big time!

Purty plane, it was.  And this one still is.

Purty, yes. Big time? Well, I flew across the pond a few times on L1011's with 2-5-2 seating. Since I was a lowly contractor (flying to TAL sites for shuttle support), my seat was usually in the middle of the 5-seat group, at the rear of the cabin, directly under that center engine - for six hours or more. I never felt like I had hit the big time!
I share your less than fond memories of flying on L1011 aircraft.  I remember the interior vibrating, rattling the overhead bins during climbouts, etc.  I rode them on Eastern Airlines and maybe TWA.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: kevin-rf on 02/20/2015 12:57 pm
Looks like Stargrazer went out for a flight recently, a fair number of people on airliners.net are all abuzz about the flight.

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6320479/
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: newpylong on 02/20/2015 01:16 pm
Always loved the Tristar.  Orbital's is a beauty!
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: ZachS09 on 03/09/2015 03:00 am
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: edkyle99 on 03/09/2015 03:22 am
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.
"Final"?

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: ZachS09 on 03/09/2015 02:50 pm
Well, there are only two more Pegasus rockets scheduled and ICON seems to be the last one. What do you think about my rocketcam idea?
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: edkyle99 on 03/09/2015 04:11 pm
Well, there are only two more Pegasus rockets scheduled and ICON seems to be the last one. What do you think about my rocketcam idea?
Rocketcam would be fun, but I'm not sure they would be set up to handle the downrange downlinking needed from the Marshall Islands.  A lot of blue water and little else out there.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Jim on 03/09/2015 06:11 pm
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.

No, Ecliptic Enterprises does not put them on rockets.  ULA and Spacex do it.  Also, Spacex has their own cams and I believe ULA does too.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: ZachS09 on 03/09/2015 07:00 pm
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.

No, Ecliptic Enterprises does not put them on rockets.  ULA and Spacex do it.  Also, Spacex has their own cams and I believe ULA does too.

I thought Ecliptic Enterprises used to do rocketcams since 1997. Didn't they quit doing them?
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Jim on 03/09/2015 07:14 pm

I thought Ecliptic Enterprises used to do rocketcams since 1997. Didn't they quit doing them?

They were a supplier for them.   But it is not up to them to add them to vehicles, it is up to the launch vehicle contractor and some, if not all, are producing the cams themselves.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: ZachS09 on 03/09/2015 08:54 pm
I apologize; I was convinced the wrong way.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: starchasercowboy on 03/10/2015 03:24 pm
There are plenty of camera angles in this IRIS/Pegasus video. Cockpit, fin sweep, drop from the plane and first stage ignition (from NASA F-18).  More on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBskkACG0hg
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: wsl2005 on 12/17/2016 04:52 am
NASA’s ICON and GOLD missions will take complementary observations of Earth’s ionosphere and upper atmosphere. NASA image.

Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in NOVEMBER '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: eeergo on 06/09/2017 10:14 am
This launch has been delayed to November 14th, according to SFN's schedule.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: russianhalo117 on 06/10/2017 12:37 am
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.
An-124, An-225 and IL-76 are in different phases of planning for re-engining with PD18R engine but geo-political fallout has slowed the effort since the aircraft were built primarily in Ukraine so Ilyushin IL-106 project revival is considered to replace both fleets. Chinese versions have already been re-engined.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: Zed_Noir on 06/10/2017 09:51 pm
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.
An-124, An-225 and IL-76 are in different phases of planning for re-engining with PD18R engine but geo-political fallout has slowed the effort since the aircraft were built primarily in Ukraine so Ilyushin IL-106 project revival is considered to replace both fleets. Chinese versions have already been re-engined.

Just have a quick at some under body illustrations of the An-124 & Il-76 online. The Il-76 does have main landing gears retracted inwards toward the center line of the fuselage, so no room to mounted something like the Pegasus underneath. Seems the An-124 also have the inward retracting main landing feature from their military rough field operating requirements. So the An-124 & Il-76 does not appears to be variable candidates for conversion to be a Pegasus launching aircraft.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: Jim on 06/11/2017 04:08 pm
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.

The L1011 was chosen over the DC-10 because the fuselage had twin spars and the Pegasus vertical fin could go between them.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: starchasercowboy on 06/11/2017 04:34 pm
The vertical fin is about 6 feet tall from the aft skirt.  The hydraulic service center for the L1011 is in the right spot for this.  No other aircraft has this in the right place. The placement of the main hooks also connects from the bottom of the center wingbox and the wing of Pegasus. This first stage holds 52k lbs in the right place for the CG to be in MAC for all the flight conditions designed for the L1011 with cargo for ferry.  Fitting Pegasus close to the bottom of the fuselage and having the fairings close off the airflow helps with less buffeting and flutter.  All the support,  like nitrogen,  clean air conditioning, satellite monitoring equipment, battery monitoring, rocket monitoring,  fin sweep, and hook hydraulics have all been modified over the years to get it right.  I bring this up to inform you that not many airplanes are designed to carry a Rocket.  The L1011, passenger/cargo, just happened to work out for Orbital when they made the switch from B52. To reach the specific orbits that the satellite customers want means the place where you launch from, altitude,  rocket performance, and speed at launch from the type of aircraft you are using has to be very flexable. By this I mean, the aircraft might have to be able to land on short thin runways, like Kwaj, reach 40k feet altitude, and 250kts airspeed to reach the customers required orbit. Virgin and Strato have many hours of flight test to get their platforms right. IMHO liquid rockets will take more time to develop than the already proven chemical rocket for airlaunch.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
Post by: StevenV on 06/14/2017 09:34 pm
The L1011 was chosen over the DC-10 because the fuselage had twin spars and the Pegasus vertical fin could go between them.

It was chosen because it was cheap, as you noted almost 10 years ago. ;) The twin spars was a lucky coincidence.
It's in the stickied Q&A.

What we did NOT know when we chose the L-1011 is how PERFECT the L-1011 was going to be for that application!
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: Salo on 09/09/2017 06:56 am
https://www.nasa.gov/launchschedule/#.U0NkJ6L-6c4
Quote
Date: December 8, 2017
Mission: ICON (Ionospheric Connection Explorer)
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 10/04/2017 08:20 pm
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150 (https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150)
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 10/05/2017 01:29 am
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150 (https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150)

Does anyone know where these photos were taken?
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: catdlr on 10/05/2017 02:51 am
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150 (https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150)

Does anyone know where these photos were taken?

Jim is the definitive person to answer this, but I think it's at VAFB:  Source : https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2017/10/04/pegasus-rocket-prepared-for-nasas-icon-mission/

Quote
Orbital ATK’s Pegasus XL rocket is being prepared to launch NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON mission. The rocket is being prepared in a facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: The Phantom on 10/09/2017 08:38 pm
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150 (https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150)

Does anyone know where these photos were taken?

That's OATK's Vehicle Assembly Building on the north base side of VAFB. It's a nondescript building with two side-by-side bays for doing horizontal assembly and integration of some of OATK's rockets.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: russianhalo117 on 10/09/2017 11:32 pm
Quote
We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150 (https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150)

Does anyone know where these photos were taken?

Jim is the definitive person to answer this, but I think it's at VAFB:  Source : https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2017/10/04/pegasus-rocket-prepared-for-nasas-icon-mission/

Quote
Orbital ATK’s Pegasus XL rocket is being prepared to launch NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON mission. The rocket is being prepared in a facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California.
VAFB Building 1555 is used solely for processing Orbital ATK's Minotaur-C and Pegasus-XL. All other Minotaur and defense target products use VAFB Building 1900.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: rayleighscatter on 10/19/2017 10:31 pm
VAFB Building 1555 is used solely for processing Orbital ATK's Minotaur-C and Pegasus-XL. All other Minotaur and defense target products use VAFB Building 1900.
Both of which can be seen in a new photo from the Minotaur-C mission thread.
Title: Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 11/03/2017 03:50 pm
Quote
Mission Update Nov. 3, 2017 - NASA is postponing launch of the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) until 2018. The mission was previously planned to launch Dec. 8, 2017, on an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. NASA and Orbital ATK need additional time to assess a separation component of the rocket. More information on a revised launch date will be provided once it becomes available.

From: https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-mission-overview (https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-mission-overview)
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: starchasercowboy on 11/19/2017 04:46 pm
Speculating,  maybe this separation component has something to do with SpaceX Zuma component.  Explosive bolt testing might have found a bad batch?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: Lar on 11/19/2017 05:43 pm
Speculating,  maybe this separation component has something to do with SpaceX Zuma component.  Explosive bolt testing might have found a bad batch?

Fairly[1] far fetched.  Not every thread is about SpaceX.

1 - see what I did there?

Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: Jim on 11/20/2017 12:21 am
Speculating,  maybe this separation component has something to do with SpaceX Zuma component.  Explosive bolt testing might have found a bad batch?

Spacex doesn't use explosive bolts
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: The Phantom on 12/22/2017 09:12 pm
Seems that this mission’s launch site is now a toss-up: because of the lengthy delay the mission’s experiencing, analyses are now being done to determine if it can be launched out of the Cape. Kwaj is a very busy place, and it may be very difficult to find a slot in its schedule. It all depends on mass - the s/c came in at the low end of its estimated mass. That makes a Cape launch feasible - if the solution to the current issue doesn’t drive up the total LV mass. No firm decisions yet...
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: russianhalo117 on 12/22/2017 11:03 pm
Seems that this mission’s launch site is now a toss-up: because of the lengthy delay the mission’s experiencing, analyses are now being done to determine if it can be launched out of the Cape. Kwaj is a very busy place, and it may be very difficult to find a slot in its schedule. It all depends on mass - the s/c came in at the low end of its estimated mass. That makes a Cape launch feasible - if the solution to the current issue doesn’t drive up the total LV mass. No firm decisions yet...
The mission is not restricted to solely US launch Sites, although that is generally preferred. It can also launch from many sites in allied nations.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: ZachS09 on 12/22/2017 11:29 pm
Seems that this mission’s launch site is now a toss-up: because of the lengthy delay the mission’s experiencing, analyses are now being done to determine if it can be launched out of the Cape. Kwaj is a very busy place, and it may be very difficult to find a slot in its schedule. It all depends on mass - the s/c came in at the low end of its estimated mass. That makes a Cape launch feasible - if the solution to the current issue doesn’t drive up the total LV mass. No firm decisions yet...
The mission is not restricted to solely US launch Sites, although that is generally preferred. It can also launch from many sites in allied nations.

An example of an "allied nation launch" was from Gran Canaria in the Spanish Canary Islands.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: The Phantom on 12/23/2017 12:10 am
The mission is not restricted to solely US launch Sites, although that is generally preferred. It can also launch from many sites in allied nations.

In the case of this mission the two launch site options I cited are the only two launch site options on offer. While Pegasus has indeed launched from other locations, NASA will not, unless there are special conditions identified by the launch customer. Historically, all NASA Pegasus missions have launched from US-controlled territory (Wallops, VAFB, EAFB, RTS, CCAFS). ICON will follow this model.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: The Phantom on 12/23/2017 12:25 am
An example of an "allied nation launch" was from Gran Canaria in the Spanish Canary Islands.

Bad example: Minisat 01 was a Spanish Space Agency payload, so they specified a Spanish launch site. Celestis was a commercial customer on that flight and didn't really care where it launched from.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: gongora on 05/01/2018 09:01 pm
From GAO's "NASA: Assessments of Major Projects" for 2018
Quote
The ICON project had planned to launch early, in June 2017, but the project has experienced delays associated with its launch vehicle. In January 2017, two of the Pegasus launch vehicle’s three stages were involved in a transport accident. The stages were subsequently returned to the launch vehicle contractor facility for inspection and testing, and no damage was found. The launch vehicle contractor then delivered the stages to Vandenberg Air Force Base for integration and testing activities. Due to conflicts at the launch vehicle range, the earliest available launch date was December 2017, which resulted in a 6-month launch delay from the planned June 2017 launch date.

In September 2017, however, an anomaly identified in bolt cutter assembly confidence testing—testing to show that the bolts that hold the launch vehicle and payload together will separate as planned during launch—resulted in additional delays, but the magnitude of the delay is unknown. One of nine bolt cutter assemblies failed to fracture a bolt during testing. As a result, NASA and the contractor halted testing and began an investigation of the anomaly, which is ongoing. NASA’s Launch Services Program is working with the launch vehicle provider to identify the root cause of the anomaly, evaluate options to resolve the issue, and determine a new launch readiness date. In February 2018, NASA determined the project will launch no earlier than June 2018, but this date is still under review.

As of January 2018, the observatory remains in the Orbital-ATK cleanroom in Gilbert, Arizona in a safe state—under continuous purge and performing periodic monitoring of the battery voltage—awaiting determination of a new launch date and shipment for launch vehicle integration.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - 2018
Post by: gongora on 05/02/2018 09:07 pm
Tweet from Orbital ATK: (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/991785101230034946)
Quote
The Orbital ATK-designed and built ICON spacecraft has arrived in Vandenberg ahead of its June 14 launch. ICON will launch from Kwajalein Atoll aboard one of our #Pegasus rockets!

Tweet from NASA Sun & Space: (https://twitter.com/NASASun/status/991784397211881473)
Quote
ICON is headed toward launch!

The spacecraft has arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and its launch from Kwajalein Atoll is now scheduled for June 14 US time / June 15 local time. #NASAICON https://go.nasa.gov/2HMI6M1

[NASA] ICON Spacecraft Arrives at Vandenberg (https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/05/02/icon-spacecraft-arrives-at-vandenberg/)
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: eeergo on 05/03/2018 12:00 am
In September 2017, however, an anomaly identified in bolt cutter assembly confidence testing—testing to show that the bolts that hold the launch vehicle and payload together will separate as planned during launch—resulted in additional delays, but the magnitude of the delay is unknown. One of nine bolt cutter assemblies failed to fracture a bolt during testing. As a result, NASA and the contractor halted testing and began an investigation of the anomaly, which is ongoing. NASA’s Launch Services Program is working with the launch vehicle provider to identify the root cause of the anomaly, evaluate options to resolve the issue, and determine a new launch readiness date. In February 2018, NASA determined the project will launch no earlier than June 2018, but this date is still under review.

Interesting (especially so close after the Zuma debacle) that the Parker Solar Probe+ is also experiencing problems associated with its separation mechanism. Shouldn't spacecraft adapters be one of the most tried-and-true (not to mention simple) components in an LV?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 05/22/2018 08:53 am
May 21, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-085

NASA Invites Media to View New Mission to Study the Frontier of Space

Media will have the opportunity June 4-5 for tours, interviews and photographs of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) as it prepares to leave Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for a scheduled mid-June launchfrom Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

ICON team members will be available to answer questions about Orbital ATK’s Pegasus XL rocket, which is attached to the company’s L-1011 “Stargazer” aircraft and will carry ICON into orbit. There also will be opportunities to tour the aircraft and witness itstakeoff on its ferry flight to the island.The observatory will leave Vandenberg June 5 for ascheduled launch on June 15 from Kwajalein (June 14 in the continental United States).

ICON will study the frontier of space: the dynamic zone high in Earth’s atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above. This area at times can be filled with such beauty as the aurora, and at other times experience increases in radiation that can interfere with radio communications, satellites and even astronauts. ICON will help determine the physical process at play in this space environment and pave the way for mitigating their effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

This event is open only to U.S. citizens who possess a government-issued photo identification. One form of government-issued photo identification is required and must be a driver’s license or passport.

To apply for media credentials, go to https://media.ksc.nasa.gov. Media interested in attending this event must also RSVP via email at [email protected]. In your RSVP, please include your driver’s license number and its state of issuance. The deadline for submitting credentials and to RSVP is no later than noon EDT Tuesday, May 22.

Monday, June 4

There will be an opportunity to tour the Orbital ATK L-1011 Stargazer aircraft and interview officials involved in the launch and mission.

Interview participants:

•Omar Baez, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program
•Bryan Baldwin, Pegasus Program senior director, Orbital ATK
•Thomas Immel, ICON principle investigator, UC Berkeley

Media should meet at the Vandenberg south gate parking lot on California State Road 246 and 13th Street at noon PDT to be escorted.Media must present a valid driver’s license or passport to receive a base pass.

Tuesday, June 5

There will be an opportunity to view the takeoff of the ferry flight of the Orbital ATK L-1011 Stargazer with the Pegasus XL rocket that will air launch ICON.

Media should meet at the Vandenberg south gate parking lot on California State Road 246 and 13th Street at 9:30 a.m. to be escorted.Media must present a valid driver’s license or passport to receive a base pass.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Explorer Program for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory leads the ICON mission. The ICON spacecraft was built by Orbital ATK in Dulles, Virginia. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is responsible for launch service acquisition, integration, analysis, and launch management.

For more information about NASA’s ICON mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/icon
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 05/23/2018 02:11 pm
May 21, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-085

NASA Invites Media to View New Mission to Study the Frontier of Space

<snip>
The observatory will leave Vandenberg June 5 for a scheduled launch on June 15 from Kwajalein (June 14 in the continental United States).

<snip>

FYI, if I research correctly:
Kwajalein is on Marshall Islands Standard Time, UTC +12:00.

When will launch-time be announced?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: Comga on 05/23/2018 06:10 pm
Seems that this mission’s launch site is now a toss-up: because of the lengthy delay the mission’s experiencing, analyses are now being done to determine if it can be launched out of the Cape. Kwaj is a very busy place, and it may be very difficult to find a slot in its schedule. It all depends on mass - the s/c came in at the low end of its estimated mass. That makes a Cape launch feasible - if the solution to the current issue doesn’t drive up the total LV mass. No firm decisions yet...

ICON will fly in an orbit around Earth at a 27-degree inclination and at an altitude of some 360 miles. (https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-spacecraft-and-instruments)

So why NOT launch from KSC/CCAFS?
I know some are looking forward to a trip to the far Pacific (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36125.msg1291540#msg1291540) ;) but that's not NASA's criterion.
It's a lot closer to the west coast and easier to support.
The Stargazer can fly 1.5 degrees (167 km) south and launch due east from east of the Bahamas to hit the target inclination.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: ZachS09 on 05/23/2018 09:23 pm
Seems that this mission’s launch site is now a toss-up: because of the lengthy delay the mission’s experiencing, analyses are now being done to determine if it can be launched out of the Cape. Kwaj is a very busy place, and it may be very difficult to find a slot in its schedule. It all depends on mass - the s/c came in at the low end of its estimated mass. That makes a Cape launch feasible - if the solution to the current issue doesn’t drive up the total LV mass. No firm decisions yet...

ICON will fly in an orbit around Earth at a 27-degree inclination and at an altitude of some 360 miles. (https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-spacecraft-and-instruments)

So why NOT launch from KSC/CCAFS?
I know some are looking forward to a trip to the far Pacific (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36125.msg1291540#msg1291540) ;) but that's not NASA's criterion.
It's a lot closer to the west coast and easier to support.
The Stargazer can fly 1.5 degrees (167 km) south and launch due east from east of the Bahamas to hit the target inclination.

I think the reason why the L-1011 is not taking off from Cape Canaveral is because of the Eastern Range maintenance, so Kwajalein is being used as the takeoff site for ICON.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: gongora on 05/23/2018 09:43 pm
Seems that this mission’s launch site is now a toss-up: because of the lengthy delay the mission’s experiencing, analyses are now being done to determine if it can be launched out of the Cape. Kwaj is a very busy place, and it may be very difficult to find a slot in its schedule. It all depends on mass - the s/c came in at the low end of its estimated mass. That makes a Cape launch feasible - if the solution to the current issue doesn’t drive up the total LV mass. No firm decisions yet...

ICON will fly in an orbit around Earth at a 27-degree inclination and at an altitude of some 360 miles. (https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-spacecraft-and-instruments)

So why NOT launch from KSC/CCAFS?
I know some are looking forward to a trip to the far Pacific (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36125.msg1291540#msg1291540) ;) but that's not NASA's criterion.
It's a lot closer to the west coast and easier to support.
The Stargazer can fly 1.5 degrees (167 km) south and launch due east from east of the Bahamas to hit the target inclination.

I think the reason why the L-1011 is not taking off from Cape Canaveral is because of the Eastern Range maintenance, so Kwajalein is being used as the takeoff site for ICON.

It has nothing to do with Eastern Range maintenance.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: Yeknom-Ecaps on 05/27/2018 03:43 am
Is the L-1011 at Kwaj? IF so, when did it fly from VAFB to Kwaj?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: Comga on 05/27/2018 04:11 am
Quote
It has nothing to do with Eastern Range maintenance.

No, it doesn't. The launch location is driven by the mission requirements and how the launch vehicle can deliver the desired orbit. I don't know the specifics of why ICON wants to reach orbit from Kwajalein - orbital mechanics is not my strong suite - but it is not an insignificant labor to adjust the mission to the Eastern Range.

BTW, Kwaj is NOT a tropical paradise. Taking launch ops out there is not considered a "vacation" by anyone. It is not Tahiti. Working there invokes some serious hardships. My first week on Kwaj was one of the most stressful work periods I can remember. It is not selected as a launch site trivially.

We have four days on the RTS range to pull this off - the RTS schedule is that tight. If we don't pull it off in those four days, we'll have to fall back to KSC/CCAFS and try again in October.

I am glad we have a real authority discussing this instead of guessing. (Being honest)
Your comment was the source of my joke (sort of got lost) about the tropical vacation.
But doesn’t the Pegasus have MORE capacity into the 27 deg Target orbit from CCAFS at 28.5 deg N than from the 8.7 deg N Kwajalein?  Especially when the Stargazer can fly south to 27 deg N and launch due East?
I agree it’s not possible to launch into the target orbit directly from CCAFS but that’s supposed to be an advantage of air launch.

Edit: Belay that. By orbital mechanics the Pegasus would have very slightly more capacity from Kwai, because of its slightly higher easterly rotational velocity.  Plus they can launch from within the radar coverage of the base, rather than behind 300 km to the southeast. That’s my guess at the reason.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: Thorny on 05/27/2018 05:10 pm
I agree it’s not possible to launch into the target orbit directly from CCAFS but that’s supposed to be an advantage of air launch.

Delta II launched GLAST into a 25.6 deg. inclination from Cape Canaveral in 2008.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: ZachS09 on 05/27/2018 05:30 pm
I agree it’s not possible to launch into the target orbit directly from CCAFS but that’s supposed to be an advantage of air launch.

Delta II launched GLAST into a 25.6 deg. inclination from Cape Canaveral in 2008.

The reason why Fermi was placed into a 25.6-degree orbit was because of the plane-changing that was done during the late ascent.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: LouScheffer on 05/28/2018 02:24 pm

Edit: Belay that. By orbital mechanics the Pegasus would have very slightly more capacity from Kwai, because of its slightly higher easterly rotational velocity.  Plus they can launch from within the radar coverage of the base, rather than behind 300 km to the southeast. That’s my guess at the reason.

The capacity should be essentially the same for both sites.  Look at launching from the equator and the northern limit.  At the equator, the full earth velocity V is available, but only cos(i) is in the direction you need.  At the northern limit, only V*cos(i) is available, but it's all in the direction you need.  In between it's more complicated mathematically, but the terms still cancel.  ( V*cos(b)*cos(90o-sin-1(cos(i)/cos(b)) = v*cos(i), since the cos(b) cancels, where b is the launch lattitude). So there should be very little difference in capacity.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: envy887 on 05/28/2018 03:10 pm

Edit: Belay that. By orbital mechanics the Pegasus would have very slightly more capacity from Kwai, because of its slightly higher easterly rotational velocity.  Plus they can launch from within the radar coverage of the base, rather than behind 300 km to the southeast. That’s my guess at the reason.

The capacity should be essentially the same for both sites.  Look at launching from the equator and the northern limit.  At the equator, the full earth velocity V is available, but only cos(i) is in the direction you need.  At the northern limit, only V*cos(i) is available, but it's all in the direction you need.  In between it's more complicated mathematically, but the terms still cancel.  ( V*cos(b)*cos(90o-sin-1(cos(i)/cos(b)) = v*cos(i), since the cos(b) cancels, where b is the launch lattitude). So there should be very little difference in capacity.

Aren't there more launch opportunities from the equatorial site though? They can at least pick from ascenting and descending nodes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 05/28/2018 03:27 pm
NASA's launch schedule shows the launch time as 10:06 am Eastern = 14:06 UTC (i.e. night launch from Kwajalein).
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: deruch on 05/30/2018 01:56 am

Edit: Belay that. By orbital mechanics the Pegasus would have very slightly more capacity from Kwai, because of its slightly higher easterly rotational velocity.  Plus they can launch from within the radar coverage of the base, rather than behind 300 km to the southeast. That’s my guess at the reason.

The capacity should be essentially the same for both sites.  Look at launching from the equator and the northern limit.  At the equator, the full earth velocity V is available, but only cos(i) is in the direction you need.  At the northern limit, only V*cos(i) is available, but it's all in the direction you need.  In between it's more complicated mathematically, but the terms still cancel.  ( V*cos(b)*cos(90o-sin-1(cos(i)/cos(b)) = v*cos(i), since the cos(b) cancels, where b is the launch lattitude). So there should be very little difference in capacity.

Aren't there more launch opportunities from the equatorial site though? They can at least pick from ascenting and descending nodes.

Also fewer other launches to fit within and the Eastern Range maintenance downtime is scheduled for the upcoming week(s).
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 05/30/2018 06:06 am
May 29, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-087

NASA Previews Mission to Study Frontier of Space

NASA will host a media briefing at 1 p.m. EDT Monday, June 4, on the agency’s mission to explore Earth’s ionosphere and the processes there that impact life on Earth’s surface. The event will air live on NASA Television, the agency’s website and Facebook Live.

Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) will study the layer of charged particles extending from about 50 to 360 miles above Earth’s surface, through which radio communications and GPS signals travel, and the processes there that can distort or even disrupt these signals. Knowledge gleaned from this mission will aid in mitigating its effects on satellites and communications technology worldwide.

The event will be held at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Participants will include:
•Willis Jenkins, ICON program executive at NASA Headquarters, Washington
•Thomas Immel, mission principal investigator at the University of California Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory
•Rebecca Bishop, ionospheric research scientist at Aerospace Corporation
•Douglas Rowland, mission scientist at Goddard

Media who would like to attend the briefing or participate by phone must email their name, media affiliation and phone number to Karen Fox at [email protected] by 12:30 p.m. June 4.

The public can send questions on social media by using #askNASA at any time during the event.

ICON will launch June 14 Eastern time on an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and deploy from Orbital’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft.

For more information about the mission, visit:

https://nasa.gov/ICON
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 05/30/2018 06:09 pm
NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft is partially mated to the starboard faring of Orbital ATK's Pegasus XL rocket on May 21, 2018, inside Building 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The explorer will launch on June 15, 2018, from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands (June 14 in the continental United States) on the Pegasus XL, which is attached to the company's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. ICON will study the frontier of space - the dynamic zone high in Earth's atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. The explorer will help determine the physics of Earth's space environment and pave the way for mitigating its effects on our technology and communications systems.

Photo credit: Orbital ATK/Kettner Griswold
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: edkyle99 on 06/06/2018 08:09 pm
Given this week's announcements about FTC approval for the Northrop Grumman buyout, will this be the final launch under the Orbital ATK banner?

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: jcm on 06/07/2018 02:51 am
Does anyone have info on the drop location coordinates?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: Jim on 06/07/2018 01:16 pm
Given this week's announcements about FTC approval for the Northrop Grumman buyout, will this be the final launch under the Orbital ATK banner?

 - Ed Kyle

Nope, already seeing it in the press as  Northrop Grumman Pegasus.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: edkyle99 on 06/07/2018 01:24 pm
Given this week's announcements about FTC approval for the Northrop Grumman buyout, will this be the final launch under the Orbital ATK banner?

 - Ed Kyle

Nope, already seeing it in the press as  Northrop Grumman Pegasus.
Interesting.  Orbital ATK officially signing off on Twitter, and the official change-over date appears to have been June 6, 2018.  I'm pretty sure that Pegasus still sports Orbital ATK logos though ...

https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
 
"@OrbitalATK
 16h
16 hours ago
 
More
Today, we begin a new chapter as Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. As we sign off, we hope you will continue to keep up with our products & programs by following @NorthropGrumman. We’d like to thank all of you for engaging with us & sharing our content over the years!"

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - June 14, 2018
Post by: russianhalo117 on 06/07/2018 05:24 pm
Given this week's announcements about FTC approval for the Northrop Grumman buyout, will this be the final launch under the Orbital ATK banner?

 - Ed Kyle

Nope, already seeing it in the press as  Northrop Grumman Pegasus.
Interesting.  Orbital ATK officially signing off on Twitter, and the official change-over date appears to have been June 6, 2018.  I'm pretty sure that Pegasus still sports Orbital ATK logos though ...

https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
 
"@OrbitalATK
 16h
16 hours ago
 
More
Today, we begin a new chapter as Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. As we sign off, we hope you will continue to keep up with our products & programs by following @NorthropGrumman. We’d like to thank all of you for engaging with us & sharing our content over the years!"

 - Ed Kyle
yes this is the last flight to sport an OATK logo.

New website: http://www.northropgrumman.com/AboutUs/BusinessSectors/InnovationSystems/Pages/default.aspx

Also Ed the Motor Catalogs are now behind a Credential Wall and no longer considered public information. you have to email the NG PBS Dev and go through a review process to be granted a copy.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/08/2018 10:10 pm
Heavy delay:

https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-statement-on-pegasus-icon-launch
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: Yeknom-Ecaps on 06/09/2018 02:11 am
Is the L-1011 at Kwaj? IF so, when did it fly from VAFB to Kwaj?

No, Stargazer is here at VAFB. We did pre-mate electrical checks on the A/C yesterday, and Stargazer/Pegasus mate is scheduled for June 2. Flyout starts June 5, with landing at Kwaj June 6.

Thanks Kim .... assuming it did fly on June 5/6 and is now returning to VAFB do you have return dates?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 06/09/2018 02:30 am
Return flights, Honolulu to Vandenberg:
https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/06/08/airplane-with-pegasus-rocket-returning-to-california-postponing-nasa-satellite-launch/
Carrier jet with Pegasus rocket returning to California, postponing NASA satellite launch
Updated 6 pm EDT, Friday, June 8
Quote
The online flight tracking website FlightAware.com showed the charter plane with members of the ICON team took off from Honolulu on Friday bound for Vandenberg. A flight plan for the L-1011 aircraft, carrying the Pegasus rocket, showed it was scheduled to leave Hawaii later Friday.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: butters on 06/09/2018 03:37 pm
It's as if this is a maiden launch campaign or something. Mishandled solid motors, 6 month delay. Second-guessing the size of frangible bolts in the fairing system, 6 month delay. Problem discovered during a captive carry ferry flight, another delay of at least 4 months. This doesn't seem like a well-run operation. This seems like more trouble than it's worth for NASA LSP.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 06/11/2018 08:05 am
All these problems and its high cost doesn't bode well for the future of Pegasus XL. This could end up being the last flight of this rocket.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: LouScheffer on 06/11/2018 02:02 pm
All these problems and its high cost doesn't bode well for the future of Pegasus XL. This could end up being the last flight of this rocket.

ICON masses 291 kg.  It could almost fit on RocketLab, which has a 225 kg capacity for about 1/4 of the cost - $10M vs $40M.  And though RocketLab has only two flights to date, its scheduling certainty looks comparable.  Reliability has yet to be determined.

So Pegasus will likely be squeezed from both ends.  If a small satellite is enough, keep it less than 225 kg and use RocketLab and save money.  If it's too big for that, get a Falcon-9 for not too much more.  If you can find a partner, such as Iridum and Grace did, it might even be cheaper than Pegasus.  And if Launcher One works (or somewhat less likely any of the other 1000 kg to orbit startups), then it gets squeezed directly, with similar capabilities for lower cost.  And Vega already offers more payload for a similar price.

Overall, it's hard to see much of a niche where Pegasus is the logical choice.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 06/12/2018 06:26 am
Very unlikely. I rather expect IXPE to be awarded to NG/Pegasus.

Spacecraft mass is 292 kg from the fact sheet. The Minotaur 4/Orion 38 launched the 140 kg ORS-5 into 0° 600 km orbit, but that looks too low in mass for IXPE. LauncherOne could do it, but probably could not get qualified in time. Electron is out due to the inclination and not having the performance. Looks like NASA doesn't have much choice.

"The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer will be launched on or after November 20, 2020 from Kwajelein Atoll into a 540-km circular orbit at 0° inclination."

https://ixpe.msfc.nasa.gov/about/index.html
https://ixpe.msfc.nasa.gov/about/fact_sheet.html
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: Sam Ho on 06/12/2018 06:41 pm
Very unlikely. I rather expect IXPE to be awarded to NG/Pegasus.

Spacecraft mass is 292 kg from the fact sheet. The Minotaur 4/Orion 38 launched the 140 kg ORS-5 into 0° 600 km orbit, but that looks too low in mass for IXPE. LauncherOne could do it, but probably could not get qualified in time. Electron is out due to the inclination and not having the performance. Looks like NASA doesn't have much choice.

"The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer will be launched on or after November 20, 2020 from Kwajelein Atoll into a 540-km circular orbit at 0° inclination."

https://ixpe.msfc.nasa.gov/about/index.html
https://ixpe.msfc.nasa.gov/about/fact_sheet.html
Yes, the fact sheet baselines Pegasus.  There aren't many launchers that can get to an equatorial LEO.
Quote
Mission Design and Operations Concept
• Pegasus launch from Kwajalein (RTS) on or after 11/20/2020
• 540-km circular orbit at nominal 0° inclination
• Two-year mission
• Point-and-stare observations of known targets
• Science Operations Center (SOC) at MSFC
• Mission Operations Center (MOC) at CU/LASP
• Ground Station at Malindi (backup: Singapore)
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: envy887 on 06/12/2018 07:24 pm
Very unlikely. I rather expect IXPE to be awarded to NG/Pegasus.

Spacecraft mass is 292 kg from the fact sheet. The Minotaur 4/Orion 38 launched the 140 kg ORS-5 into 0° 600 km orbit, but that looks too low in mass for IXPE. LauncherOne could do it, but probably could not get qualified in time. Electron is out due to the inclination and not having the performance. Looks like NASA doesn't have much choice.

"The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer will be launched on or after November 20, 2020 from Kwajelein Atoll into a 540-km circular orbit at 0° inclination."

https://ixpe.msfc.nasa.gov/about/index.html
https://ixpe.msfc.nasa.gov/about/fact_sheet.html
Yes, the fact sheet baselines Pegasus.  There aren't many launchers that can get to an equatorial LEO.
Quote
Mission Design and Operations Concept
• Pegasus launch from Kwajalein (RTS) on or after 11/20/2020
• 540-km circular orbit at nominal 0° inclination
• Two-year mission
• Point-and-stare observations of known targets
• Science Operations Center (SOC) at MSFC
• Mission Operations Center (MOC) at CU/LASP
• Ground Station at Malindi (backup: Singapore)

I think all the DIVM, AV 401, and F9R/ASDS can do 2000+ kg to 540 km circular equatorial LEO. And Delta II out of Canaveral, if that were still available, could do 400+ kg. Perhaps Minotaur C or Antares 2xx as well.

Of course Pegasus is cheaper than any of those, at least at the moment.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: Comga on 06/13/2018 05:31 am
I think all the DIVM, AV 401, and F9R/ASDS can do 2000+ kg to 540 km circular equatorial LEO. And Delta II out of Canaveral, if that were still available, could do 400+ kg. Perhaps Minotaur C or Antares 2xx as well.

Of course Pegasus is cheaper than any of those, at least at the moment.

Yes, the IXPE team is designing the spacecraft and instrument compliment to fit in the Pegasus, including the telescoping boom that  folds small for launch and expands to set the proper, 4 meter distance between the Multiple (X-Ray) Mirror Assemblies and the (pixelated gas cell) Detector Units.

Someone on NSF, and I am ashamed to admit that I can't remember who, modeled a Falcon 9 launch to a zero degree inclination orbit.  The potential payload was around 3000 kg, and that was probably before Block 5.  If IXPE could have shared the ride on Falcon 9, (always very difficult to arrange, just ask Arianespace) it would be cheaper than Pegasus, partially because they could launch at the full 5 meter length, and obviate the boom and all its complications.

edit: But that's not going to happen.
edit 2: And it's wandering off topic for this ICON thread.  IXPE stuff goes here. (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41949.msg1625684#msg1625684)
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: envy887 on 06/13/2018 01:00 pm
Ride-sharing to equatorial LEO isn't very plausible since very few payloads go there. Who would they share with?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: LouScheffer on 06/13/2018 08:58 pm
I think all the DIVM, AV 401, and F9R/ASDS can do 2000+ kg to 540 km circular equatorial LEO. And Delta II out of Canaveral, if that were still available, could do 400+ kg. Perhaps Minotaur C or Antares 2xx as well.
Someone on NSF, and I am ashamed to admit that I can't remember who, modeled a Falcon 9 launch to a zero degree inclination orbit.  The potential payload was around 3000 kg, and that was probably before Block 5. 

Searching NSF is so hard it's easier to do the calculations from scratch.  Let's do a 250 km orbit going 7760 m/s.  Then making a 28 degree turn while leaving speed unchanged takes 3754 m/s.  At an ISP of 348, this takes a mass ratio of 3.0.  Since a Falcon 9 GTO launch puts about 24t in orbit (second stage + fuel + payload), then the burnout mass is about 8t.   Given the second stage mass of about 4.5t, that leaves 3500 kg for the payload.   But you don't want to burn to depletion, so maybe a little less.   3000 kg seems reasonable.

The same line of reasoning will show that for any rocket, the 0 degree from the cape mass will be about, more or less, 1/2 of the GTO mass.  (very rough since ISP and second stage dry mass differ by quite a bit).  However,  given that that IXPE is only 292 kg, any rocket that can do GTO at all can probably do it.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: LouScheffer on 07/06/2018 01:52 pm
The explanation for the move of ICON from Kwaj to Cape in this SFN article (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/05/nasa-northrop-grumman-likely-to-relocate-delayed-pegasus-launch-to-florida/) makes no sense to me.  According to NASA, ICON is headed to a 27 degree circular orbit. (https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-spacecraft-and-instruments)  The article states that it was originally slated for Kwaj since the Cape did not have the desired performance.

But this seems odd.  Surely the L-1011 can fly south from the 28.5 degree Cape to get within the 27 degree orbit - that's only about half way to Miami.  And if it launches within the 27 degree orbit, then no plane change is required, and the performance should be the same from both sites.  At the equator, the full speed of the Earth is available, but only cos(i) is in the direction you need.  At the northern tip of the orbit, only cos(i) of the Earth's speed is available, but it's all in the direction you need.  The two effects cancel, and the capacity is the same.

So what am I missing?  Perhaps the Eastern range cannot cover the launch if they fly south first, so a plane change is required after all?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: edkyle99 on 07/06/2018 01:56 pm
The explanation for the move of ICON from Kwaj to Cape in this SFN article (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/05/nasa-northrop-grumman-likely-to-relocate-delayed-pegasus-launch-to-florida/) makes no sense to me.  According to NASA, ICON is headed to a 27 degree circular orbit. (https://www.nasa.gov/content/icon-spacecraft-and-instruments)  The article states that it was originally slated for Kwaj since the Cape did not have the desired performance.

But this seems odd.  Surely the L-1011 can fly south from the 28.5 degree Cape to get within the 27 degree orbit - that's only about half way to Miami.  And if it launches within the 27 degree orbit, then no plane change is required, and the performance should be the same from both sites.  At the equator, the full speed of the Earth is available, but only cos(i) is in the direction you need.  At the northern tip of the orbit, only cos(i) of the Earth's speed is available, but it's all in the direction you need.  The two effects cancel, and the capacity is the same.

So what am I missing?  Perhaps the Eastern range cannot cover the launch if they fly south first, so a plane change is required after all?
Kim Keller's explanation upthread seems correct to me.  He gives range availability as the reason for the shift.  You are right about the orbital mechanics I believe, but I'm pretty sure the L1011 cannot drop launch off, say, Jupiter, Florida given the presence of the Bahamas, etc..

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Kwajalein - TBA, 2018
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 08/24/2018 05:59 pm
SFN Launch Schedule (https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/), updated Aug. 24:
ICON launch date and window announced:
October 6, 08:00 to 09:30 UTC = 4:00 to 5:30 a.m. EDT.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/27/2018 08:33 pm
Article on status:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/08/icon-resets-october-launch-east-coast/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October, 2018
Post by: GreySea on 09/01/2018 11:53 pm
We flew Stargazer for 45 minutes on Novenber 19th.  Crew had only one squawk.  Last flying L1011 in the world and still flying great.  Got 2 missions on the books to last us to 2017 and we hope Pegasus will take us into the 2020's. 8)

Just found this forum via an article on the Pegasus launch. For a few months, Stargazer was at Guardian Jet Center which is on my route to work. Normally there's just smaller private jets parked there, so imagine the shock of seeing the ass-end of this beast sticking out of Guardian's hangar one chilly February morning. I love living near the airport,  and this was definitely a bright spot of my daily drive. I'll always have a soft spot for Stargazer.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 09/03/2018 08:04 am
August 31, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-131

NASA Invites Media to View Spacecraft to Study the Frontier of Space

NASA is inviting media to view NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft Thursday, Oct. 4, ahead of its scheduled launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket Saturday, Oct. 6, at 4 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.

ICON will study Earth’s ionosphere to help determine the physical process at play in this frontier of space where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above and pave the way for mitigating its effects on our technology and society.

Media will be able to interview ICON team members, see the rocket, and tour Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 “Stargazer” aircraft that will carry the rocket over the Atlantic Ocean, where it will detach and carry ICON into orbit.

Media prelaunch activities will take place at CCAFS and neighboring NASA Kennedy Space Center. Credentialing deadlines are as follows:

•Media who are U.S. citizens must apply by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.

•Media who are not U.S. citizens must apply by noon Tuesday, Sept. 4, for access to CCAFS; or by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, for access to Kennedy media activities only.

All media accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

For questions about accreditation, media representatives should email [email protected]. For other questions, contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468.

For more information about ICON visit

https://www.nasa.gov/icon
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October, 2018
Post by: StarryKnight on 09/04/2018 11:49 pm
This is not ICON specific, but I didn't know if there was a better place to post this. The Smithsonian Channel's Mighty Planes series is showing an episode on the Pegasus XL and it's carrier aircraft, Stargazer, this Sunday Sept. 9 at 9:00 PM EDT. The show repeats 3 hours later (9:00 PM PDT) and several times during the following week.

The channel lets you watch some shows on line. I don't know how soon after the episode airs that you can watch it via the internet.


https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/mighty-planes/stargazer-l-1011/1003002/3461841 (https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/mighty-planes/stargazer-l-1011/1003002/3461841)
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 09/14/2018 04:45 pm
ICON Launch Delayed; New Launch Date to Come

Bob Granath September 14, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman have decided to delay the launch of the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, to allow time to address a quality issue with a vendor-supplied electrical connector on the launch vehicle. Northrop Grumman does not expect an extended delay and will work with the range to determine a new launch date. The ICON spacecraft will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 09/21/2018 04:02 pm
NASA’s ICON launch now targeted for Oct. 26 – Kennedy Space Center

Bob Granath September 21, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman are now targeting Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, for the launch of the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON. The spacecraft will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch window is 90 minutes starting at 4 a.m. EDT and ICON will be launching off the coast of Daytona at 39,000 ft. at a heading of 105.0 degrees. The launch was postponed from Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, to allow time to address a quality issue with a vendor-supplied electrical connector on the launch vehicle, which has been resolved.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/02/2018 07:35 pm
Will be doing an interview with Northrop managers regarding Pegasus and ICON on Wednesday (10/3) morning.

If you have any questions you'd like asked, PM them to me.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/05/2018 06:59 pm
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/ngis-updates-icon-launch-status/ - By Chris Gebhart:

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1048286434128515072

Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 10/16/2018 05:26 pm
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 10/16/2018 05:29 pm
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 10/16/2018 05:31 pm
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 10/16/2018 05:31 pm
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Zed_Noir on 10/17/2018 02:41 am
What is the significance of the name "Linda" on the Payload fairing shroud?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 10/18/2018 05:57 am
October 17, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-154

NASA to Host Briefings, Events for ICON Launch to Study Space Weather

NASA will host a series of media briefings leading up to the Friday, Oct. 26, launch of its Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission to study the dynamic zone high in the atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above.

The launch and briefings, which begin Wednesday, Oct. 24, will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

The spacecraft, which is undergoing final preparations, will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The 90-minute launch window will open at 4 a.m. EDT. The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed.

Mission coverage is as follows:

Wednesday, Oct. 24

•1 p.m. – ICON Mission Briefing

Although the deadline has passed to attend the briefing, media can ask questions via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact Kennedy’s News Center at 321-867-2468.

Thursday, Oct. 25

•3 p.m. – NASA EDGE program

NASA EDGE will broadcast live from Cape Canaveral to discuss the ICON spacecraft operations, science, and engineering. In addition, NASA EDGE will highlight the launch processing of the L-1011 Stargazer with the Pegasus rocket.

Friday, Oct. 26

•3:45 a.m. – Launch coverage begins

ICON will study the ionosphere, where terrestrial and space weather meet. This dynamic zone, high in Earth’s atmosphere, can be a source of great beauty – such as the aurora – but also can be disruptive to radio communications, satellites and astronaut health. ICON will help determine the physical processes at play in this frontier of space, thus paving the way for mitigation of these disruptive effects.

More information on the ICON mission, prelaunch and launch events is available at:

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/icon-launch-briefings-and-events

Join the conversation on social media by following on Twitter and Facebook at:

https://twitter.com/NASASun

and

https://www.facebook.com/NASASunScience/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Jim on 10/19/2018 01:41 pm
Takeoff in 5 minutes

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N140SC/history/20181019/1400Z/KVBG/KXMR
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Kim Keller on 10/19/2018 02:49 pm
What is the significance of the name "Linda" on the Payload fairing shroud?

The LSP Mission Manager is given the privilege of naming the rocket after someone. In the past, there have been wives' names, kids' names, friends' names, or - this case - the name of someone who contributed greatly to the success of the mission. In this case, that's one of our admins. She did tons of work organizing travel for the team, which was a real challenge for this mission.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: catdlr on 10/20/2018 01:23 am
Unboxing a New NASA Spacecraft


NASA Goddard
Published on Oct 19, 2018

Go behind the scenes as we unbox NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, after its arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Northrop Grumman engineer Steve Turek and NASA EDGE's Chris Giersch walk us through the whole process of unboxing a spacecraft - from the instrument that records every tiny bump on its journey to the special crane used to lift the spacecraft to its new home.

ICON launches on Oct. 26, 2018, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to study Earth's interface to space. Read more about the ICON mission: nasa.gov/icon

Music credits: 'Yellow Flicker' by Andrew John Skeet [PRS], Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS]; 'Passing Images' by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS]; 'Push Away' by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS], Mikey Rowe [PRS]

This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12971

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Joy Ng

https://youtu.be/JmAf11F2JRo?t=001

https://youtu.be/JmAf11F2JRo
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Olaf on 10/20/2018 04:21 pm
https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1053614672635707394
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: MacsAre1 on 10/22/2018 01:57 pm
I'm in Cocoa Beach this week, was hoping to see the launch. Since it's launching at night from the air off of Daytona Beach, will I be able to see anything from the beach in Cocoa Beach?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 10/22/2018 06:57 pm
Stargazer Aircraft Arrives with Pegasus XL, ICON Satellite

Bob Granath Posted on October 22, 2018

The Northrup Grumman L-1011 Stargazer aircraft arrived Oct. 19, 2018 at the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida following a cross-country trip from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Attached beneath the Stargazer is the company’s Pegasus XL rocket with NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite on board.

ICON will study the ionosphere, where terrestrial weather meets space weather. This dynamic zone high in Earth’s atmosphere can be a source of great beauty such as the aurora, but can also be disruptive to radio communications and satellites and astronaut health. ICON will help determine the physical processes at play in this “frontier of space,” thus paving the way for mitigating their effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

ICON was processed and prepared for its mission at Vandenberg. The satellite is scheduled for its airborne launch aboard the Pegasus XL rocket after takeoff from the Skid Strip during a 90-minute launch window opening at 4:00 a.m. EDT on Oct. 26.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Kim Keller on 10/22/2018 07:01 pm
I'm in Cocoa Beach this week, was hoping to see the launch. Since it's launching at night from the air off of Daytona Beach, will I be able to see anything from the beach in Cocoa Beach?

Sorry, but no. The drop point is too far out.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: jacqmans on 10/23/2018 06:46 am
The Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL vehicle is being prepared for its move from Building 1555 to the hot pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on Oct. 14, 2018. NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is secured inside the rocket's payload fairing. The Pegasus XL rocket will be attached beneath the company's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, and travel to the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. ICON will launch aboard the Pegasus XL rocket on Oct. 26, 2018, from the Skid Strip at the Cape. ICON will study the frontier of space - the dynamic zone high in Earth's atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. The explorer will help determine the physics of Earth's space environment and pave the way for mitigating its effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: dsmillman on 10/23/2018 07:36 pm
The ICON broadcasts have disappeared from the NASA TV schedule.
Does anyone know a new launch date?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Andy DC on 10/23/2018 07:42 pm
Slipped about a week. Was mentioned in L2 yesterday, but without a new date. Florida Today saying might not be before October 31.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 10/23/2018 08:57 pm
NASA’s ICON Launch Delayed; New Launch Date to Come

Bob Granath Posted on October 23, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman have delayed the launch of the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, to conduct further pre-launch testing on the rocket. Upon completion of the testing, a new launch date will be established.

The spacecraft is launching aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. The L-1011 Stargazer carrying the Pegasus rocket arrived at CCAFS last Friday and will remain in Florida to conduct the testing. The spacecraft remains in good health.

The pre-launch mission briefing originally scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 24, also has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Olaf on 10/26/2018 07:45 pm
https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/10/26/pegasus-rocket-set-weekend-flight-test-before-icon-launch/1773341002/
Pegasus rocket set for weekend flight test before launch of NASA's ICON mission
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 10/27/2018 12:02 am
ICON Prelaunch Flight Test Set for Oct. 27

Al Feinberg Posted on October 26, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman will be conducting a flight of the L-1011 carrying Pegasus on Saturday, Oct. 27 to perform further prelaunch testing. Once the flight is completed, the team will review the test data and ensure readiness to proceed with remaining preparations for launch. This includes working with the Eastern Range to determine the new launch date. Currently, there is Range availability from Oct. 31 through Nov. 8.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2018/10/26/icon-prelaunch-flight-test-set-for-oct-27/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: ethan829 on 10/29/2018 04:30 pm
https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/1056958820566683649
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 10/30/2018 05:49 pm
NASA, Northrop Grumman Reviewing Flight Test Data

Bob Granath Posted on October 30, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman completed a test flight of the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sunday, Oct. 28. Carrying Pegasus XL and NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), the 4-hour, 45-minute flight tested the aircraft’s systems prior to launch.

A new launch date for the ICON mission will be determined after the team finishes processing and reviewing the data.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2018/10/30/nasa-northrop-grumman-reviewing-flight-test-data/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- October 26, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/03/2018 02:41 am
NASA to Hold Launch Readiness Review for ICON

Anna Heiney Posted on November 1, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman will hold a Launch Readiness Review early next week at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to ensure preparations are continuing on track for the launch of the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite.

ICON will be launched by Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket which will be carried aloft by the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft taking off from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The ICON satellite mission is expected to launch no earlier than Wednesday, Nov. 7 with a 90-minute launch window opening at 3 a.m. EST. Release from the Stargazer is anticipated for 3:05 a.m. ICON is designed to study the dynamic zone high in the atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

Follow the prelaunch coverage and the launch on NASA Television at:
https://www.nasa.gov/live

Tuesday, Nov. 6
3 p.m. – NASA EDGE webcast from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station will discuss ICON spacecraft operations, science and engineering, as well as launch processing of the Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer with the Pegasus rocket.

Wednesday, Nov. 7
2:45 a.m. – Launch coverage begins at 2:45 a.m.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2018/11/01/nasa-to-hold-launch-readiness-review-for-icon/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/05/2018 10:31 pm
Launch Week Begins for ICON

Anna Heiney Posted on November 5, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman will hold a Launch Readiness Review at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9 a.m. EST Tuesday, Nov. 6, to ensure preparations are on track for launch of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite.

ICON is scheduled to launch Wednesday, Nov. 7, by Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, which will be carried aloft by the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft taking off from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The 90-minute launch window opens at 3 a.m., with a targeted release at 3:05 a.m. Ignition of the Pegasus XL rocket occurs five seconds after release from the Stargazer.

ICON is designed to study the dynamic zone high in the atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/05/launch-week-begins-for-icon/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/06/2018 06:44 pm
Launch Readiness Review Completed for ICON

Bob Granath Posted on November 6, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman completed their Launch Readiness Review on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are no technical issues being worked at this time. NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite mission is scheduled to launch Wednesday, Nov. 7, by Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, which will be carried aloft by the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft taking off from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The 90-minute launch window opens at 3 a.m. EST, with a targeted release at 3:05 a.m. Ignition of the Pegasus XL rocket occurs five seconds after release from the Stargazer.

The official weather forecast calls for a 90 percent chance for favorable conditions for launch. The primary launch weather concerns are cumulous clouds.

ICON is designed to study the dynamic zone high in the atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/06/launch-readiness-review-completed-for-icon/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: catdlr on 11/07/2018 05:02 am
Tour the Plane Giving NASA’s ICON a Ride to Space


NASA Goddard
Published on Nov 6, 2018

Early in the morning of Nov. 7, 2018, NASA launches the Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, a spacecraft that will explore the dynamic region where Earth meets space. ICON launches on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, which is carried aloft by the Stargazer L-1011 aircraft.

Join NASA on a behind-the-scenes tour of this plane, once a jet airliner and now uniquely retrofitted to boost spacecraft into low-Earth orbit. Learn about ICON’s science and meet the people — including an engineer, technician, and pilot — who will help launch the spacecraft into orbit.

CREDITS:
Scott England (Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley): Talent
Edward Dunlap (Northrop Grumman): Talent
Jim Stowers (Northrop Grumman): Talent
Don Walter (Northrop Grumman): Talent
Karen Fox (ASI): Host
Glenn Benson (ASRC Federal Data Solutions): Videographer
Francis Michaux (ASRC Federal Data Solutions): Videographer
Joy Ng (USRA): Editor
Sarah Frazier (ADNET Systems Inc.): Producer
Kathalina Tran (Wyle Information Systems): Producer
Michael Justice (ASRC Federal Data Solutions): Support
Amber Jean Watson (Abacus Technology Corporation): Support

This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13106

https://youtu.be/O0Hx1Qe07ig?t=001

https://youtu.be/O0Hx1Qe07ig
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 11/07/2018 06:32 am
They have two attempts at launch today.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 11/07/2018 06:33 am
The launch button!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/07/2018 06:42 am
Damn! Sorry to hear.

Explains this:
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/07/2018 06:45 am
And now a ticker.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 11/07/2018 06:45 am
Confirmation of scrub.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/07/2018 06:48 am
https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP/status/1060075026366504960
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/07/2018 06:54 am
Article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/11/nasas-icon-launch-ngis-pegasus-xl-rocket/

- by Chris Gebhardt.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: eeergo on 11/07/2018 09:13 am
SFN reports the delays so far have been due to:

* 2017-2018: Mishandling of rocket motors + cutters for fairing and spacecraft adapter.
* June-October: Rudder fin actuator problems.
* October-November: GPS receiver used during the Pegasus drop gets signal but displays error during ferry flight.

Has any of these glitches reocurred, possibly the one with the GPS receiver?
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/07/2018 12:19 pm
Stargazer Aircraft Airborne with Pegasus XL, ICON Satellite

Bob Granath Posted on November 7, 2018

The Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer aircraft carrying a Pegasus XL Rocket with NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite is airborne after taking off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Northrop Grumman produces the Pegasus XL, a small expendable rocket that attaches beneath the Stargazer aircraft and is carried to 39,000 feet to be released for launch. It is the only airborne-launched rocket.

The Pegasus XL can carry a payload up to 992 pounds to low-Earth orbit. The rocket weighs about 51,000 pounds and measures 55.4 feet in length and 50 inches in diameter. Pegasus has a wing span of 22 feet

With the Stargazer aircraft flying over the Atlantic Ocean about 50 miles offshore from Daytona Beach Florida, the Pegasus rocket will be released. Five seconds later, the solid propellant engine will ignite and boost the ICON satellite to orbit.

Did you know!

The L-1011 Stargazer is a mobile launch platform and the only one of its kind in the world.

The 90-minute launch window opens at 3 a.m. EST, with a targeted release at 3:05 a.m. EST about 50 miles east of Daytona Beach, Florida. Ignition of the Pegasus XL rocket occurs five seconds after release from the Stargazer.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/07/stargazer-aircraft-airborne-with-pegasus-xl-icon-satellite/
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/07/2018 12:20 pm
ICON Launch Update

Bob Granath Posted on November 7, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman have postponed today’s launch attempt of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, mission due to off-nominal data observed on the Pegasus XL rocket, during the captive carry flight. The L-1011 Stargazer carrier aircraft returned to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and the team will begin an investigation into the issue. The ICON spacecraft remains healthy. The team is evaluating the next launch attempt.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/07/icon-launch-update/
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/08/2018 01:19 pm
ICON Launch Update

Bob Granath Posted on November 8, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman have postponed the Nov. 7 launch attempt of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, mission due to off-nominal data observed on the Pegasus XL rocket, during the captive carry flight. The L-1011 Stargazer carrier aircraft returned to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and the team will begin an investigation into the issue. The ICON spacecraft remains healthy. The team is evaluating the next launch attempt.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2018/11/08/icon-launch-update/
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: MattBaker on 11/08/2018 02:50 pm
Are there any restrictions on a launch window like there were when it was originally supposed to be flown out of Kwajalein? Or now that it's at the Cape whenever things are ready to go they'll set a new date X days away and go?

And would the Range have any problems with for example launching a Falcon 9 in the afternoon and then the Pegasus the same night? Then again there isn't a whole lot scheduled at the Cape for the rest of the year, so even if you'd want a gap it wouldn't be all too hard.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 11/08/2018 04:23 pm
Cross-post; ER is not as open as may initially appear:
https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/11/06/pegasus-xl-icon-mission-status-center/
Quote
11/08/2018 03:37

NASA and Northrop Grumman are not expected to attempt a launch of the Pegasus rocket Thursday, as officials continue evaluating pesky problems plaguing the launcher after an aborted try to send NASA's ICON ionospheric probe into orbit early this morning.

A new launch date has not been determined, but the availability of the Air Force's Eastern Range to support the mission is in question the next few days.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set for a static fire attempt at the Kennedy Space Center as soon as Sunday, followed by a launch no earlier than Nov. 15 carrying a commercial communications satellite.

That mission, coupled with other maintenance activity on the range, could be problematic for NASA and Northrop Grumman managers to find an opening for a launch attempt in the coming days, assuming the Pegasus is cleared for flight.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- November 7, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/09/2018 09:03 pm
ICON Launch Update

Bob Granath Posted on November 9, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman are continuing to investigate the off-nominal data observed during the Pegasus XL rocket’s Nov. 7 launch attempt for the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, mission. The next launch attempt will be evaluated once the investigation is complete. The ICON spacecraft remains healthy.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/09/icon-launch-update-2/
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/15/2018 03:21 pm
What is now a word going around, starting in L2, but more since.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1063104184793337856
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Kim Keller on 11/15/2018 07:24 pm
What is now a word going around, starting in L2, but more since.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1063104184793337856

ICON cannot reach its target orbit from the west coast.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Skyrocket on 11/15/2018 11:23 pm
What is now a word going around, starting in L2, but more since.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1063104184793337856

ICON cannot reach its target orbit from the west coast.

Yes, the launch site has to be either Kwajalein or Cape Canaveral.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: ZachS09 on 11/16/2018 01:10 am
Will ICON ever be launched? I feel like it’s been delayed for eternity.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: lrk on 11/16/2018 03:38 am
Will ICON ever be launched? I feel like it’s been delayed for eternity.

The launch campaign that never ends...

In all seriousness, I wonder at what point NASA decides they've had enough and switches launchers.  This is also the last scheduled mission for Pegasus, right?  Doesn't bode well for it getting any future missions. 
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: edkyle99 on 11/16/2018 03:49 am
Will ICON ever be launched? I feel like it’s been delayed for eternity.
I've seen longer launch campaigns.  They always launched, eventually.

As for Pegasus, there was an AvWeek article mid-summer that noted that Orbital (now Northrop Grumman) had bought another L1011 for spare parts and was in the process of upgrading or updating some Pegasus systems to cut costs.  Perhaps some of these delays are related to teething problems with some of those updates.  It seems to me that the company would not be making these moves unless it had plans for a Pegasus future.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Lars-J on 11/16/2018 05:23 am
Will ICON ever be launched? I feel like it’s been delayed for eternity.
I've seen longer launch campaigns.  They always launched, eventually.

As for Pegasus, there was an AvWeek article mid-summer that noted that Orbital (now Northrop Grumman) had bought another L1011 for spare parts and was in the process of upgrading or updating some Pegasus systems to cut costs.  Perhaps some of these delays are related to teething problems with some of those updates.  It seems to me that the company would not be making these moves unless it had plans for a Pegasus future.

 - Ed Kyle

But after this launch - could there be much market left for it? With RocketLab in operation and soon Virgin Galactic, the future prospects would appear grim, despite its history with NASA. And it has only flown 5(?) times in the last 10 years. Not a great flight rate for any system.

So I'm wondering is NG is holding on to it (and Antares) just to have a toe in the game and keep launch experience in-house to as a bridge until OmegA arrives.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: JonathanD on 11/16/2018 07:19 am
But after this launch - could there be much market left for it? With RocketLab in operation and soon Virgin Galactic, the future prospects would appear grim, despite its history with NASA. And it has only flown 5(?) times in the last 10 years. Not a great flight rate for any system.

So I'm wondering is NG is holding on to it (and Antares) just to have a toe in the game and keep launch experience in-house to as a bridge until OmegA arrives.

Rocket aside, how much does it cost just to keep that old TriStar flying?  How do they even get parts?
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Lar on 11/16/2018 02:12 pm
Rocket aside, how much does it cost just to keep that old TriStar flying?  How do they even get parts?
See above, they bought another one for spares. Also, boneyards. There are vast fleets of various aircraft types in various states of disassembly (some ready to fly again after removing covers, some half scrapped, and everything in between) in Arizona.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/16/2018 05:22 pm
ICON to Return to Vandenberg AFB for Further Analysis

Bob Granath Posted on November 16, 2018

NASA and Northrop Grumman have made the decision to fly the L-1011 Stargazer and Pegasus XL rocket carrying NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, spacecraft back to its integration facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The ferry flight will take place early next week. Returning to the environmentally-controlled integration facility allows the team to further investigate off-nominal data observed during the Nov. 8 launch attempt.

Once the investigation is complete, a new launch date will be determined. ICON will launch out of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The ICON spacecraft, which uses Northrop Grumman’s LEOStar-2 platform, is monitored at all times and remains healthy.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/16/icon-to-return-to-vandenberg-afb-for-further-analysis/
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: edkyle99 on 11/17/2018 02:59 am
Will ICON ever be launched? I feel like it’s been delayed for eternity.
I've seen longer launch campaigns.  They always launched, eventually.

As for Pegasus, there was an AvWeek article mid-summer that noted that Orbital (now Northrop Grumman) had bought another L1011 for spare parts and was in the process of upgrading or updating some Pegasus systems to cut costs.  Perhaps some of these delays are related to teething problems with some of those updates.  It seems to me that the company would not be making these moves unless it had plans for a Pegasus future.

 - Ed Kyle

But after this launch - could there be much market left for it? With RocketLab in operation and soon Virgin Galactic, the future prospects would appear grim, despite its history with NASA. And it has only flown 5(?) times in the last 10 years. Not a great flight rate for any system.

So I'm wondering is NG is holding on to it (and Antares) just to have a toe in the game and keep launch experience in-house to as a bridge until OmegA arrives.
Electron can only lift half of a Pegasus payload on paper (so far it has only lifted about 15% as much as Pegasus in reality).  LauncherOne matches Pegasus on paper, but it is going to be a challenge to air launch with its cryogenic liquid propellants.  Meanwhile, Pegasus shares much with the Minotaur series, and with OBV.  Altogether, they account for probably 25-30 or so launches during the past decade.     

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: MattBaker on 11/17/2018 11:07 am
Plus Electron only really works for polar orbits right now with their launch site, let's see when it comes to lower latitudes. But a mission like ICON, 27° inclination wouldn't be possible even from Wallops without sacrificing the already not-enough power for a plane change?

Pegasus, especially when it can go from Kwajalein without scheduling issues, can offer a pretty wide range of inclinations.
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: Rondaz on 11/28/2018 08:26 pm
NASA’s ICON Analysis Underway at Vandenberg AFB

Bob Granath Posted on November 28, 2018

On Monday, Nov. 19, Northrop Grumman flew the L-1011 Stargazer and Pegasus XL rocket carrying NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, spacecraft back to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. On Nov. 20, Northrop Grumman completed the de-mate of Pegasus from the L-1011 and transported the rocket safely into the integration facility.

The Northrop Grumman/NASA team continues its investigation into the off-nominal data observed during the Nov. 7 launch attempt. Once the analysis is complete, a new launch date will be determined. ICON will launch out of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The ICON spacecraft, which uses Northrop Grumman’s LEOStar-2 platform, is monitored at all times and remains healthy.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2018/11/28/nasas-icon-analysis-underway-at-vandenberg-afb/
Title: Re: SCRUB: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET ?, 2018
Post by: gongora on 12/18/2018 02:19 pm
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1075041994936864768
Quote
Nicola Fox, heliophysics division director, says ICON launch on a Pegasus XL now scheduled for early 2019.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET Q2 2019
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 02/25/2019 01:38 pm
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1100041368695685120

Quote
At a National Academies committee meeting this morning, Nicky Fox, head of NASA’s heliophysics division, says the ICON launch now planned for no earlier the 2nd quarter. Northrop Grumman still working “extremely hard” on problems with the Pegasus launch vehicle.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET Q2 2019
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 03/26/2019 02:51 pm
https://twitter.com/stephenclark1/status/1110556273039327235

Quote
Nicky Fox, head of NASA’s heliophysics division, tells National Academy of Sciences committee that Northrop Grumman plans test flight of the Pegasus XL under its L-1011 carrier jet in a few weeks. If it goes well, launch campaign for long-delayed ICON satellite could soon follow.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET Q2 2019
Post by: gongora on 04/30/2019 05:24 pm
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1123275932725317634
Quote
NASA’s Bill Gerstenmaier speaking now at the ASEB/SSB meeting, with a broad overview of HEOMD programs. Notes problem with Pegasus XL that delayed ICON launch for months appears to have been solved; should be ready to launch this summer.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET September 2019
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 06/26/2019 10:49 pm
Cross-post; SFN Launch Schedule (https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/), updated June 23
NET September per Stephen Clark
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET September 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 07/09/2019 04:27 am
Well, now that IXPE is flying on Falcon 9, is this going to be the last flight of Pegasus XL?
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET September 2019
Post by: ZachS09 on 07/09/2019 11:15 am
Well, now that IXPE is flying on Falcon 9, is this going to be the last flight of Pegasus XL?

I think so. It appears that SpaceX launching IXPE and the countless delays of ICON could lead to Northrop Grumman announcing, “ICON will be Pegasus’ last mission”, followed by an explanation of Pegasus’ success rate and payload examples that accomplished great scientific results.

Making an excuse that SpaceX is stealing their payloads would NOT be the appropriate way to explain Pegasus’ retirement.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET September 2019
Post by: russianhalo117 on 07/09/2019 02:52 pm
Well, now that IXPE is flying on Falcon 9, is this going to be the last flight of Pegasus XL?
There Pegasus XL in storage and early buildup at VAFB facilities.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET September 2019
Post by: The Phantom on 07/13/2019 03:20 pm
Well, now that IXPE is flying on Falcon 9, is this going to be the last flight of Pegasus XL?
There Pegasus XL in storage and early buildup at VAFB facilities.

There are two Pegasus XL's at 1555, both ex-Stratolaunch vehicles. But there is no customer as yet for either of them.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral- NET September 2019
Post by: russianhalo117 on 07/13/2019 07:46 pm
Right now, there's no launch vehicle assigned to launch SPHEREx, which weighs 178 kilograms. Maybe one of the Pegasus rockets could launch SPHEREx since it's within the payload capability to SSO.

https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_spherex.htm

Also, we have PUNCH and TRACERS that are presumably within Pegasus' SSO capability, so that could be another candidate for Pegasus.

https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_punch.htm
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_tracers.htm
Both are baselined. However we are derailing this mission thred nd should use the other Pegasus thread to discuss further.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10, 2019
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 08/30/2019 09:26 pm
Cross-post:
ICON launch will be on October 10th as per https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasakennedy/48642896996/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 09/06/2019 04:32 pm
ICON Launch Targeted for Oct. 10

Anna Heiney Posted on September 6, 2019

NASA and Northrop Grumman currently are preparing the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, spacecraft and the Pegasus XL rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for ferry to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft on Oct. 1, 2019. The launch has been rescheduled to Oct. 10, 2019, following the completion of a joint NASA/Northrop Grumman investigation into a Pegasus sensor reading that was not within normal limits during previous ferry and launch attempt flights. The cause of the issue is understood, and the flight hardware has been modified to address the issue. Two L-1011 flights with Pegasus were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the modification with no issues. Functional tests are being performed on NASA’s ICON spacecraft, which utilizes Northrop Grumman’s LEOStar-2 platform, to ensure that the ICON spacecraft is ready for the upcoming integration activity, ferry flight and launch. As always, mission success for Pegasus and ICON is the top priority.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2019/09/06/icon-launch-targeted-for-oct-10/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 09/11/2019 02:38 pm
ICON Launch Now Targeted for Oct. 9

Danielle Sempsrott Posted onSeptember 11, 2019

NASA and Northrop Grumman coordinated with the U.S. Air Force Eastern Range for an earlier launch date for the agency’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. ICON is now targeted for launch on Oct. 9, 2019, aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket carried by the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2019/09/11/icon-launch-now-targeted-for-oct-9/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 09/11/2019 04:09 pm
From Long-delayed NASA science satellite gets October launch date (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/09/10/long-delayed-nasa-science-satellite-gets-october-launch-date/), dated September 10
Launch time is 9:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 9 = 0130 UTC Oct. 10
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: Targeteer on 09/16/2019 07:26 pm
September 16, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-097
NASA Opens Accreditation for Launch of Mission to Explore Ionosphere
 

NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer will study the frontier of space: the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above.

Credits: NASA

NASA has opened media accreditation for the launch of its Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission, targeted to be air-launched over the Atlantic Ocean on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket Wednesday, Oct. 9.

Media prelaunch activities will take place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and neighboring Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with details of the activities to be announced closer to the launch date. Credentialing deadlines are as follows:

    U.S. media must apply by 4:30 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 20.
    The deadline for international media to apply has passed.

All media accreditation requests should be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

For questions about accreditation, please email [email protected]. For other questions, contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468.

ICON and Pegasus will take off aboard the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for a 90-minute launch window opening at 9:25 p.m. ICON will be launching off the coast of Daytona at 39,000 feet at a heading of 105 degrees.

The ionosphere, where Earth’s weather meets space weather, can be a source of great beauty, but also can be disruptive to radio communications and satellites, and astronaut health. ICON will help determine the physical processes at play in this frontier of space, and help find ways to mitigate their negative effects.

For more information about the ICON mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/icon
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: thirtyone on 09/17/2019 11:50 pm
Last time this rocket launched was before I closely followed commercial rocketry =P Anyone know if there are going to be a live stream on NASA TV or anything?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: dsmillman on 09/18/2019 12:03 am
Last time this rocket launched was before I closely followed commercial rocketry =P Anyone know if there are going to be a live stream on NASA TV or anything?

Thanks!
Since ICON is a NASA satellite, the launch will get full coverage on NASA TV>
Last time this rocket launched was before I closely followed commercial rocketry =P Anyone know if there are going to be a live stream on NASA TV or anything?

Thanks!

Since ICON is a NASA satellite, the launch will get full coverage on NASA TV.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 09/18/2019 05:25 pm
https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1174369359826837504

Quote
Stargazer, the last flying Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, took off from Mojave Air and Spaceport this morning. It’s headed to Vandenberg AFB to pick up a Pegasus XL rocket and @NASA’s ICON satellite ahead of their launch out of Cape Canaveral on October 10. #NASAICON @NASASpaceflight
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: Sam Ho on 09/19/2019 05:47 pm
Last time this rocket launched was before I closely followed commercial rocketry =P Anyone know if there are going to be a live stream on NASA TV or anything?

Thanks!

Here's the live thread from the last Pegasus (CYGNSS), if you'd like to review what NASA TV coverage was like the last time around.

William Graham's preview article!
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/12/pegasus-cygnss-constellation-deployment/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: jacqmans on 09/24/2019 09:41 am
Technicians attach NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) to the Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket inside Building 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on Sept. 10, 2019. The Pegasus XL rocket, attached beneath the company's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, will launch ICON from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Launch is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2019. ICON will study the frontier of space - the dynamic zone high in Earth's atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. The explorer will help determine the physics of Earth's space environment and pave the way for mitigating its effects on our technology and communications systems.

Photo credit: USAF 30th SCS/Ernest Mendez
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: jacqmans on 10/02/2019 04:26 pm
October 01, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-103
NASA to Broadcast Launch of Mission to Study the Frontier of Space

NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is scheduled to be air-launched over the Atlantic Ocean at 9:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 9, by Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket. Coverage of the prelaunch briefing and launch will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

ICON and Pegasus will take off aboard the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for a 90-minute launch window opening at 9:25 p.m.

NASA TV coverage is as follows:

Tuesday, Oct. 8

1 p.m. – Mission briefing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants will include:
Nicola Fox, Heliophysics division director in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Thomas Immel, ICON principal investigator at the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California Berkeley
Omar Baez, launch director in NASA’s Launch Services Program
Phil Joyce, vice president of space launch programs at Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems
Steve Krein, vice president of civil and commercial satellites at Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems
Representative from the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing
Wednesday, Oct. 9

9:15 p.m. – Launch coverage begins
The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by emailing [email protected].

ICON will study the frontier of space – the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. The ionosphere can be a source of great beauty, but also can be disruptive to radio communications and satellites, and astronaut health. ICON will help determine the physical processes at play in the ionosphere and pave the way for mitigating its effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

For the latest schedule of prelaunch briefings, events and NASA TV coverage, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/icon-briefings-and-events

Learn more about the ICON mission at:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: dsmillman on 10/02/2019 06:04 pm
The press kit is at:

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/icon_presskit_oct2019.pdf

Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: jacqmans on 10/04/2019 01:13 pm
The Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, carrying NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), has arrived at the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 1, 2019. The rocket is attached beneath the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. ICON will study the frontier of space - the dynamic zone high in Earth's atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above.

Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: tehwkd on 10/06/2019 07:08 am
Quote
   InForce
P 060246Z OCT 19

NAVAREA IV 868/19(24,25,26).
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FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 100125Z TO 100355Z OCT,
ALTERNATE 110125Z TO 110355Z OCT
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 29-07N 078-31W, 29-07N 077-40W,
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28-40N 078-01W, 28-54N 078-31W.
B. 27-47N 072-20W, 27-47N 071-10W,
26-57N 069-51W, 26-07N 070-21W,
26-27N 072-01W, 26-57N 072-40W.
C. 25-41N 063-58W, 24-49N 061-27W,
24-05N 061-49W, 24-54N 064-15W.
D. 10-40N 038-36W, 11-21N 037-47W,
11-21N 036-57W, 09-41N 036-57W,
09-01N 038-07W, 09-01N 038-47W,
10-01N 038-47W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 110455Z OCT 19.//

MILITARY OPS.//

A - red
B - yellow
C - lime
D - orange
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/07/2019 02:47 pm
Launch Week Arrives for ICON

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on October 7, 2019

NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer – or ICON – satellite is scheduled to launch Wednesday, Oct. 9, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. ICON will be air-launched from a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, carried by the company’s L-1011 aircraft, Stargazer. Launch is currently scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EDT.

Weather officials from the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing predict a 40% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. Primary concerns are cumulous clouds and lightning. We’ll continue to provide weather and launch updates here on the blog, so be sure to check back in!

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2019/10/07/launch-week-arrives-for-icon/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/08/2019 02:52 pm
NASA, Northrop Grumman Prepare for Launch of ICON

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on October 8, 2019

NASA and Northrop Grumman will hold a mission briefing at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in preparation for the launch of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite. Tune in to NASA TV and the agency’s website to watch the mission briefing live.

The Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, carrying a Pegasus XL rocket with the agency’s ICON satellite, will take off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Skid Strip on Oct. 9. The launch window will be open from 9:25 to 10:55 p.m., with a targeted release at 9:30 p.m. Ignition of the Pegasus XL rocket will occur five seconds after release from the Stargazer.

ICON is designed to study the frontier of space: the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above.

Be sure to follow our blog for launch updates. Live launch coverage here and on NASA TV will begin at 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 9.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2019/10/08/nasa-northrop-grumman-prepare-for-launch-of-icon/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: PM3 on 10/08/2019 02:54 pm
Weather not looking good for the first launch opportunity on October 10 UTC (30 % favourable), but better for the next day (60 %).
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: Olaf on 10/08/2019 05:43 pm
https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1181607696845291520
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/08/2019 10:13 pm
Pegasus, ICON Satellite Set to Launch Tomorrow

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on October 8, 2019

NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite is set to launch from a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket – carried by the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft – on Wednesday, Oct. 9, from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Once Stargazer is airborne and has reached the right altitude and location, the rocket will be released for launch.

One thing to keep an eye on for tomorrow’s launch is the weather. With a cold front moving in and a forecast of scattered showers throughout the day, weather officials from the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing are currently predicting a 30% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. Primary weather concerns are the cumulus cloud rule and lightning rule.

“I wish I had some better news, but ultimately, we’re going to do our best with all the tools we have at our disposal to ensure that tomorrow’s launch – or potentially Thursday night’s launch – is as safe as possible,” said Will Ulrich, launch weather officer for the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, in Tuesday afternoon’s mission briefing.

The 90-minute launch window opens at 9:25 p.m. EDT on Oct. 9, with a targeted release at 9:30 p.m. If ICON is unable to launch tomorrow due to unfavorable weather conditions, the backup launch date is Oct. 10, with the same targeted release time.

“If we go to the backup day – hopefully we don’t need to have a 24-hour delay, but should we – conditions are going to be a little better,” said Ulrich. Thursday’s forecast shows less chance of rain, and weather conditions improve to a 60% chance “go” for launch.

Once ICON reaches orbit, it will study the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

Live launch coverage and countdown will begin at 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 9 here on the blog, on NASA TV and the agency’s website. Learn more about NASA’s ICON mission at: https://www.nasa.gov/icon

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2019/10/08/pegasus-icon-satellite-set-to-launch-tomorrow/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: IanO on 10/09/2019 12:31 am
I'm somewhat confused and disappointed by the weather restrictions.  I thought one of the unique benefits of air launch was the ability to fly above any inclement weather.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 9/10, 2019
Post by: MattBaker on 10/09/2019 10:07 am
If you look at the weather briefing PM3 linked in post #176:

Cumulonimbus; Bases: 2,500 feet; Tops: 50,000 feet

50,000 feet is really, really quite high, even for an airplane. The drop altitude is supposed to be FL390, so 39,000 feet. Yes, you can fly above some weather. But other weather goes up so high that you can't and those thunderstorm clouds go up really high.

And the plane also has to climb to those 39,000 feet and they'd prefer not to fly a plane with a fuelled rocket strapped to it through possible lightning. Safety is the enemy of convenience.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: gongora on 10/09/2019 06:50 pm
https://twitter.com/EmreKelly/status/1182004553912373248
Quote
Confirmed: Tonight's NASA ICON launch has been delayed 24 hours, according to KSC. Next attempt is Thursday at 2130 ET (0130 UTC +1).
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/09/2019 09:29 pm
ICON Launch Moved Back 24 Hours

James Cawley Posted on October 9, 2019

Due to weather in the area, NASA and Northrop Grumman have decided to move the Pegasus XL and ICON launch 24-hours to October 10 at 9:30 p.m., with takeoff of the Stargazer L-1011 at 8:32 p.m.

NASA’s live broadcast will begin tomorrow at 9:15 p.m. on www.nasa.gov/live.

The teams are not working any issues.  The rocket, airplane and spacecraft are ready to launch tomorrow.  As always, safety of the crew and mission success are our main focus.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2019/10/09/icon-launch-moved-back-24-hours/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/10/2019 07:52 pm
Teams Prepare for ICON Launch Tonight

Anna Heiney Posted on October 10, 2019

The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) will launch tonight on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from the company’s Stargazer L-1011 aircraft. The Stargazer will take off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:33 p.m. EDT.

The first launch attempt for ICON is 9:30 p.m. EDT. Follow live coverage here on the blog as well as on NASA TV and on the web at http://nasa.gov/live beginning at 9:15 p.m. EDT.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2019/10/10/teams-prepare-for-icon-launch-tonight/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/10/2019 10:28 pm
Article by Chris Gebhardt:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/10/nasas-icon-launch-ngis-pegasus-xl-rocket/

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1182422355785801728
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 01:10 am
https://twitter.com/NASASun/status/1182458758296952832
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 01:11 am
Jack photos of daylight version of that.

https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1182461641343913984
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:11 am
LD NET is quiet right now.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:12 am
Pegasus takeoff video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJj0w_rJfX8
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:15 am
Pegasus GO for FTS internal power.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:16 am
Webcast has started.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:17 am
FTS arm checks nominal.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:17 am
ICON ready for transition to internal power.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:18 am
T-12 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:19 am
ICON is on internal power.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 01:19 am
Take off footage:

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1182465645008556032
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:20 am
Countdown has gone very smoothly.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 01:20 am
T-10 mins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:21 am
T-10 minutes. Weather is 80% go.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:21 am
T-9 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:22 am
Launch window is GO!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:22 am
T-8 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:24 am
All is GO!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:24 am
T-7 minutes. Performing poll.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:25 am
T-6 minutes. Video of previous launch.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:27 am
T-5 minutes. Final launch poll. Go for launch.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:27 am
T-4 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:28 am
T-3 minutes. AE Building.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:29 am
T-1min!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:29 am
T-2 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:30 am
T-1 minute. Negative comm!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:30 am
ABORT.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:31 am
Abort!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:32 am
Commentator trying to find out if there is going to be another attempt tonight.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 01:32 am
Sounds like comms were the issue.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1182468935645577216
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:33 am
Racetrack. They will attempt another launch in about 30mins if they can resolve the issue.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 01:34 am
Recycle.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1182469382771007489
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:34 am
Will be racetracking for another attempt, but a lot of things have to happen first. There was a comm issue.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:35 am
Showing a video on the ionosphere.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:37 am
They are ready to go again.  Polling for recycle.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:38 am
Have changed frequency. Go for recycle. Checkout in 25.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:39 am
Current position. Pegasus is on external power.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:40 am
"Why do we want to study the ionosphere?"
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:43 am
22:00 EDT (02:00 UTC) is the new launch time.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:45 am
Briefly back live. Talking about feedback sensors on rudder that were previously giving anomalous readings.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:47 am
Back live again.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:48 am
T-12 minutes. Showing a video on ICON.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:50 am
T-10 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:51 am
T-9 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:52 am
T-8 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:53 am
T-7 minutes. Performing poll. NASA team is ready.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:54 am
T-6 minutes. Tail view of vehicle.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:55 am
T-5 minutes. Performing final poll. Go for launch.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:56 am
T-4 minutes. Vehicle diagram.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:57 am
T-3 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:58 am
T-2 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 01:59 am
T-1min!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 01:59 am
T-1 minute. Fin sweep is next.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:00 am
Fin sweep. In the box.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:00 am
Drop and ignition!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:02 am
T+1 minute.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 02:02 am
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1182476573473161216
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:03 am
First stage separation.

T+2 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:04 am
Fairing separation.

T+3 minutes. Second stage burnout.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:04 am
T+4 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:06 am
T+5 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:07 am
T+6 minutes. Another ionosphere video.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:08 am
T+7 minutes. Second stage separation.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:09 am
Third stage ignition.

T+8 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:09 am
Cutoff! In orbit!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:11 am
T+10 minutes. Separation in a few minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:12 am
T+11 minutes. Checksum error!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:13 am
T+12 minutes. Video is stuck at T+641 seconds due to checksum error I believe.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:14 am
T+13 minutes. Getting close to separation.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:16 am
T+15 minutes. Track is stuck at 658 seconds.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:17 am
T+16 minutes.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2019 02:18 am
Six mins post S/C Sep. No telemetry.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:18 am
T+17 minutes. Payload separation should have occurred at T+680.6 s (11 minutes, 20.6 seconds).
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 10/11/2019 02:21 am
LD loop is not giving any info right now.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:24 am
Back to mission control. We have separation!

NASA_LSP
‏Verified account @NASA_LSP
3 minutes ago

WE HAVE #NASAICON SEPARATION! Thanks for the great ride @northropgrumman #PegasusXL!

https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP/status/1182481165095190528
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:26 am
This is a fun launch. Next mission is Solar Observatory in February next year.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: starbase on 10/11/2019 02:27 am
https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1182480640178036737
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:28 am
Wrapping up, launch replay and end of webcast.

Congratulations to Northrop Grumman and NASA for the successful launch!
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Steven Pietrobon on 10/11/2019 02:48 am
Solar arrays have deployed!

Northrop Grumman
‏Verified account @northropgrumman
4 minutes ago

Success! #NASAICON solar array deployment is complete. #NorthropGrumman

https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1182487082641563648
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Salo on 10/11/2019 04:46 am
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacecraft-launches-on-mission-to-explore-frontier-of-space
Quote
A Northrop Grumman Stargazer L-1011 aircraft took off at 8:31 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying ICON, on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, to launch altitude of about 39,000 feet. The first launch opportunity around 9:30 was skipped due to communication issues between the ground team at Cape Canaveral and the aircraft. On the second attempt, the aircraft crew released its payload at 9:59 p.m. EDT and automated systems on the Pegasus rocket launched ICON, a spacecraft roughly the size of a refrigerator, into space.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2019/10/10/icon-successfully-launches-from-pegasus-xl-rocket/
Quote
A Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket launched NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite at 9:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 10 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) to study the dynamic zone in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

The satellite was attached to the Pegasus XL rocket, which hitched a ride on the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. Once the aircraft reached an altitude of 39,000 feet, the rocket was dropped, with ignition occurring five seconds after.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/11/2019 05:44 am
ICON Successfully Launches from Pegasus XL Rocket

Anna Heiney Posted on October 10, 2019

y Launches from Pegasus XL Rocket
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Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, with the company’s Pegasus XL rocket attached beneath, takes off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 10, 2019. NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is secured inside the rocket's payload fairing
Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, with the company’s Pegasus XL rocket attached beneath, takes off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 10, 2019. NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is secured inside the rocket’s payload fairing. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
A Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket launched NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite at 9:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 10 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) to study the dynamic zone in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

The satellite was attached to the Pegasus XL rocket, which hitched a ride on the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. Once the aircraft reached an altitude of 39,000 feet, the rocket was dropped, with ignition occurring five seconds after.

ICON is expected to improve the forecasts of extreme space weather by utilizing in-situ and remote-sensing instruments to survey the variability of Earth’s ionosphere. The mission also will help determine the physics of our space environment, paving the way for mitigating its effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2019/10/10/icon-successfully-launches-from-pegasus-xl-rocket/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/11/2019 05:45 am
ICON Begins Study of Earth’s Ionosphere

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on October 10, 2019

A Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket launched NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite at 9:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 10 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) to study the dynamic zone in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

The satellite was attached to the Pegasus XL rocket, which hitched a ride on the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. Once the aircraft reached an altitude of 39,000 feet, the rocket was dropped, with ignition occurring five seconds after.

“This is a fun launch. In my operational function, this is about as good as it gets,” said Omar Baez, launch director in NASA’s Launch Services Program. “The anxiety level is higher, the adrenaline is flowing, but what a cool way to fly.”

Originally targeting a 9:30 p.m. drop, NASA and Northrop Grumman determined to bypass the first drop attempt due to a loss of communication between ground teams at CCAFS and the Stargazer.

“When your launch pad is moving at 500/600 miles per hour, things happen,” said Baez. “The first attempt got us because we lost positive communication with the aircraft and the ground, and our rule is to abort the flight and go back around and try it again. And we were able to execute it flawlessly.”

The region of space where ICON will conduct its study – the ionosphere – comprises of winds that are influenced by many different factors: Earth’s seasons, the heating and cooling that takes place throughout the day, and bursts of radiation from the Sun. This region also is where radio communications and GPS signals travel, and fluctuations within the ionosphere can cause significant disruptions to these critical technologies.

As a response to the recent scientific discovery that the ionosphere is significantly impacted by storms in Earth’s lower atmosphere, Northrop Grumman designed, integrated and tested the ICON satellite under a contract from the University of California Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory. NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch service acquisition, integration, analysis and launch management.

The ICON mission is part of NASA’s Explorer Program managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland for the Science Mission Directorate in Washington, which aims to provide frequent flight opportunities for small- to medium-sized spacecraft that are capable of being built, tested and launched in a shorter period of time.

ICON is expected to improve the forecasts of extreme space weather by utilizing in-situ and remote-sensing instruments to survey the variability of Earth’s ionosphere. The mission also will help determine the physics of our space environment, paving the way for mitigating its effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2019/10/10/icon-begins-study-of-earths-ionosphere/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 10/11/2019 05:52 am
ICON and the Pegasus 3rd stage cataloged in 569 x 569 km x 27.0 deg orbits, confirming success of the 44th Pegasus launch.

https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1182517202207031297
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: jacqmans on 10/11/2019 06:48 am
October 11, 2019
RELEASE 19-082

NASA Spacecraft Launches on Mission to Explore Frontier of Space

After successfully launching Thursday night, NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft is in orbit for a first-of-its-kind mission to study a region of space where changes can disrupt communications and satellite orbits, and even increase radiation risks to astronauts.

A Northrop Grumman Stargazer L-1011 aircraft took off at 8:31 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying ICON, on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, to launch altitude of about 39,000 feet. The first launch opportunity around 9:30 was skipped due to communication issues between the ground team at Cape Canaveral and the aircraft. On the second attempt, the aircraft crew released its payload at 9:59 p.m. EDT and automated systems on the Pegasus rocket launched ICON, a spacecraft roughly the size of a refrigerator, into space.

The spacecraft’s solar panels successfully deployed, indicating it has power with all systems operating. After an approximately month-long commissioning period, ICON will begin sending back its first science data in November.

ICON will study changes in a region of the upper atmosphere called the ionosphere. In addition to interfering with communications signals, space weather in the ionosphere can also prematurely decay spacecraft orbits and expose astronauts to radiation-borne health risks. Historically, this critical region of near-Earth space has been difficult to observe. Spacecraft can’t travel through the low parts of the ionosphere and balloons can’t travel high enough.

“ICON has an important job to do – to help us understand the dynamic space environment near our home,” said Nicola Fox, director for heliophysics at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “ICON will be the first mission to simultaneously track what’s happening in Earth’s upper atmosphere and in space to see how the two interact, causing the kind of changes that can disrupt our communications systems.”

ICON explores the connections between the neutral atmosphere and the electrically charged ionosphere with four instruments. Three of the instruments rely on one of the upper atmosphere’s more spectacular phenomena: colorful bands called airglow. 

Airglow is created by a similar process that creates the aurora – gas is excited by radiation from the Sun and emits light. Though aurora are typically confined to extreme northern and southern latitudes, airglow happens constantly across the globe, and is much fainter. But it’s still bright enough for ICON’s instruments to build up a picture of the ionosphere’s density, composition and structure. By way of airglow, ICON can observe how particles throughout the upper atmosphere are moving.

ICON’s fourth instrument provides direct measurements of the ionosphere around it. This instrument characterizes the charged gases immediately surrounding the spacecraft.

“We put as much capability on this satellite that could possibly fit on the payload deck,” said Thomas Immel, the principal investigator for ICON at the University of California, Berkeley. “All those instruments are focused on the ionosphere in a completely new science mission that starts now.”

ICON’s orbit around Earth places it at a 27-degree inclination and altitude of about 360 miles. From there, it can observe the ionosphere around the equator. ICON will aim its instruments for a view of what's happening at the lowest boundary of space, from about 55 miles up to 360 miles above the surface. This rapid orbit circles Earth in 97 minutes while precessing around the equator, allowing ICON to sample a wide range of latitude, longitude and local times.

ICON is an Explorer-class mission. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Explorer Program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The University of California at Berkeley developed the ICON mission and the two ultraviolet imaging spectrographs, Extreme Ultra-Violet instrument and the Far Ultra-Violet instrument. The Naval Research Laboratory in Washington developed the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging instrument. The University of Texas in Dallas developed the Ion Velocity Meter. The spacecraft was built by Northrop Grumman in Dulles, Virginia. The Mission Operations Center at UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory is tasked with operating the ICON mission.   

For more information on ICON, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/icon
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: jacqmans on 10/11/2019 08:42 am
Northrop Grumman Successfully Launches NASA ICON Satellite on Pegasus Rocket

Ninth science mission for which the company both built and launched the satellite for NASA

Dulles, Va. – Oct. 10, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced its Pegasus® XL rocket successfully launched the company-built Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite for NASA. The launch marked the 44th overall flight of the world’s first privately-developed commercial space launch vehicle, and ICON marks the ninth science satellite to be both built and launched by the company for NASA.

The first phase of the launch was aboard Northrop Grumman’s "Stargazer" L-1011 carrier aircraft. Shortly after release from Stargazer, Pegasus ignited, carrying ICON to its intended 575-kilometer orbit.

“We are proud to have another successful launch of Pegasus,” said Rich Straka, vice president, launch vehicles, Northrop Grumman. “Today’s launch is a testament to the team’s expertise and determination to provide our customer with mission success.”

NASA’s ICON satellite will study the frontier of space – the dynamic zone high in Earth’s atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. Northrop Grumman designed and manufactured the spacecraft for ICON at its Dulles satellite manufacturing facility, and tested and verified the spacecraft at the company’s location in Gilbert, Arizona. The satellite is based on the company’s LEOStar-2™ bus, a flight-proven and flexible satellite platform that accommodates a wide variety of missions.

“Our initial data shows the spacecraft is in good health and performing as expected,” said Steve Krein, vice president, civil and commercial satellites, Northrop Grumman. “The successful launch of ICON continues to demonstrate Northrop Grumman’s legacy of delivering innovative space science missions for NASA. ICON marks the latest in a long line of scientific spacecraft we have developed and built for NASA over the last 35 years.”

ICON will help determine the physics of Earth’s space environment and pave the way for mitigating its effects on technology, communications systems and society. Northrop Grumman has previously built multiple explorer satellites buses for NASA, including the NuSTAR, Swift, GALEX, AIM and IBEX spacecraft. Northrop Grumman is also currently manufacturing the Landsat-9 and JPSS-2 spacecraft for NASA. Both satellites use the company’s larger LEOStar-3™ bus.

As an air-launched system, Pegasus has unparalleled flexibility to operate from virtually anywhere on Earth with minimal ground support requirements. In fact, Pegasus missions have launched from five separate sites in the U.S., Europe and the Marshall Islands. Pegasus is the leading launch system for the deployment of small satellites into low earth orbit. As the only NASA Category 3 vehicle in the small-launch class, Pegasus is certified to launch NASA’s most valuable small satellites.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 10/14/2019 05:38 pm
Congratulations to the entire launch team!  Especially to for the Pegasus handlers who have collectively worked for years, through several setbacks, on this campaign!  And to the ICON team!

And thank you to Steven, Chris B, and Chris G for the launch coverage.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 11/01/2019 03:24 pm
https://youtu.be/UgLNbGl9-iY
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: starchasercowboy on 01/14/2020 03:09 pm
ICON is performing well  :D
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146079/iconic-views-of-the-atmosphere
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: The Phantom on 02/17/2020 11:45 pm
Sadly, the Pegasus chief engineer got the boot in December. I would imagine he was the scapegoat for the enormous loss NGIS took with all the delays to the ICON launch.
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 12/08/2022 12:29 am
ICON Mission Out of Contact

Denise Hill Posted on December 7, 2022

On Nov. 25, 2022, NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) team lost contact with the spacecraft. The ICON spacecraft is equipped with a built-in onboard command loss timer that will power cycle or reset the spacecraft after contact is lost for eight days. On Dec. 5, after the power cycle was complete, the team was still unable to acquire a downlink signal from the spacecraft. The team is currently still working to establish a connection.

Working with the Department of Defense’s Space Surveillance Network, the team has verified that ICON remains intact.

The ICON mission team is working to troubleshoot the issue and has narrowed the cause of the communication loss to problems within the avionics or radio-frequency communications subsystems. The team is currently unable to determine the health of the spacecraft, and the lack of a downlink signal could be indicative of a system failure.

ICON launched on Oct. 10, 2019, and completed its two-year prime mission science objectives in December 2021. It has been operating in extended mission status since that time.

By Denise Hill
NASA Headquarters, Washington

https://blogs.nasa.gov/icon/2022/12/07/icon-mission-out-of-contact/
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Rondaz on 12/08/2022 12:39 am
On Nov. 25, the ICON mission team lost contact with the spacecraft. The team has verified that the spacecraft is intact, but they cannot communicate with it. The team is working to re-establish communication:

https://twitter.com/NASASun/status/1600612681379094545
Title: Re: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019
Post by: Jrcraft on 11/04/2023 02:49 am
NASA has updated this mission as a "Past mission" on their website. Given that it's been almost a year without contact, I think it's done.
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/icon/ (https://science.nasa.gov/mission/icon/)